Margie's Candies
Categories: Candy Stores, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
Neighborhood: Bucktown1960 N Western Ave
(between Armitage Ave & Milwaukee Ave)
Chicago, IL 60647 (773) 384-1035
- Nearest Transit:
Western (Blue O'Hare)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
47 reviews
Neighborhood: The Loop
"The best popcorn ...and not just cause oprah says so .Ive been eating this stuff waaay before she made it cool .My mom has me buy bags of it…" read more »
206 Reviews for Margie's Candies
Ahhh, Margies. The best spot to go to if you want to observe awkward first dates. Incidentally also the best spot to meet your friends to gorge on hot fudge and gossip. They always forget to sub pecans for nuts when I ask them to, though.
Home of the best blueberry shake.
The ice cream is smooth and tasty but if you want real ice cream, ya gotta make it in churn. Sugar, vanilla bean, cream.
But what a spot- a throwback. wood grain and gold. Rich like the hot fudge. Great for a date, or a double.
Are people really complaining about price? Really. Your getting fresh ice cream people, hot fudge and did you see the menu?
Margie's has a lot to offer. If you want cheap crappy ice cream go to baskin robbins or mcdonalds.
Talk about nostalgia. What a hoot.
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I heard about this place from a coworker- so Sunday afternoon I decided to hit it up. My mom and I had to wait about 15 minutes for a table which was no big deal. I'm never in this area of town so the people watching was fun. We were seated in the smallest table ever- but it was cozy. The decor in here really reminded me of a grandma's house. It clearly hasn't been updated... ever. But none of that matters because the menu is HUGE and full of sundae options. I ended up getting the hot fudge banana split. It was enormous and delicious and very retro. What more can you ask for for less than $5? I loved it! My only complaint about this place (besides the whole decor thing) is that they have no peanut butter options which is too bad because I'm a p.b. fiend! Other than that it was fab!
Love this place. Nothing like stepping back in time for the best hot fudge I've ever had. Sure, the place is tiny and sort of bizarre, but the ice cream more than makes up for it, every time. I usually get the turtle sundae, because the caramel is awesome as well.
It's more like 3.5 stars. The selection of ice cream creations are overwhelming, but awesome. The place is cute and has lots of character. The prices are fairly reasonable. We had a sundae that came with two scoops. One was french vanilla and the other was coconut. The coconut ice cream was way too subtle. I almost couldn't tell that it was coconut.
I think this place is totally worth it for the novelty. It has history and it's adorable. A great little dessert stop for a date. My hubby and I shared our sundae outside on the chairs. :)
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I enjoyed this place and despite some of the recent reviews I didn't think it was so terrible of place to go for ice cream and prices are not outrageous and are more a long the line of Baskin Robbins and definitely cheaper then Cold Stone. For me and my wife we split one there sundaes and we still had some ice cream left at the bottom. A very tasty treat. Yes I will admit that the place can get pretty busy and quite packed on the inside but that's just a classic diner for you. And Yes it's a little to retro but to me it just gives a better look then most places. So enough about that I suggest trying it if your in the area and if you see a long line, go do something else and comeback or just stick out like at every other place you go to.
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It's smells and is dingy. Sorry, I've gone twice, and both times as I'm awkwardly eating my ice cream, I just keep thinking those two things.
To be fair, if the ice cream I was nomming was in a different venue, I'd probably be a lot more positive about the place. It was perfectly fine. Really. All the old classics are on the menu, and if there was a flavored encyclopedia entry for those items, these are what they would taste like.
Sadly, it's smelly and dingy. The lighting reminds me of movies of stores which are portrayed as creepy, the cabinets of awards and photos are like old props, and it's just kinda narrow and dark. I don't know what the smell is, but it's not hot fudge. The staff also comes off as a little condescending, like they sell so much ice cream my presence is inconsequential. I just end up feeling lonely and scared in my hard plastic booth with my encyclopedia banana split.
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The bathroom scares me. It's tiny and funky... not in a 60's "funky" way, but a funky gross way. Maybe it's the size of it. It's gross. Don't go here drunk or you will probably barf... but your head will already be in the sink, so it will actually work out pretty well.
Lots of desserts and they have FROZEN YOGURT. Yum and Hooray!
This is a good, no, great place to take a date if you want to be cheesy. Portions are large (you should share). Make sure you go to the bathroom before you get here.
This is the best nostalgic ice cream place in the city! The hot fudge is really liquidy fudge and is delish!!!! The food is nothing to write home about, but always reminds me of what I would have ordered at Margies or anysort of lunch counter back in the 40's love it!
My boyfriend has been itching to go to Margie's for the last two weeks, but with my schedule of late it just hasn't happened. We found ourselves in the area last night and his eyes lit up like a kid when we decided to venture a bit down Western.
This was my first visit to Margie's and my first impression was that the interior was MUCH smaller than I thought it would be. I was expecting the FAO Schwartz of ice cream parlors, and instead found myself in a teeny wood paneled room. When we walked in, we were immediately greeted and asked if our order was for here or to go. The only table left was a little low (fine for me - but a bit cramped for my taller boyfriend) 2 seater that was on the aisle next to a display case. There wasn't any foot traffic in that area so it wasn't nearly as bad as it seemed.
After indecisively mulling over the menu for 10 minutes (so many choices) we decided to split the Turtle Sundae with an extra scoop of ice cream. I have never been a chocolate person, but the fudge that we poured on top was one of the most decadent things I've ever tasted. It made Hershey's syrup taste like goat piss. Wow! The ice cream was creamy and fresh and the caramel was also tasty although there was far less caramel on the sundae than we had fudge on the side to pour.
As much as I loved the ice cream, Margie's is a new fav because it's a REAL ice cream parlor and not an ice cream place with parlor decor. Even though this place looks as if it hasn't changed since 1972, there's something so incredibly cute about this place that makes it perfect for a hot night, one sundae with two spoons kind of date.
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The majority of positive Yelp reviews for this "parlor" cite it's historical or sentimental value.
Personally, I don't care that it's been around for 900 years or that Jimmy and Sally used to come here when they were little to trade in their report cards for a free scoop of ice-cream.
Screw that. This isn't Yelp 1950s. How is this place NOW?
Sure, the ice-cream is decent, but it's certainly not worth the wait, the high prices or having to bear its hideous interior (it's like a Texas Chainsaw Massacre set inside).
So if you don't have a historical leaning or sentimental connection I recommend you walk across the street and get a McDonald's sundae or a Shamrock Shake if it's in season!
Ronald McDonald knows how to make a comparable fudge sundae with less creepiness, more speed and for a lower cost.
As a final step, I suggest you shout from across the street at the idiots standing at margie's. You could even throw an entire sundae at their faces and still save money vs. going to Margie's.
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I guess it's like eating in your grandma's kitchen. If your grandma is really, really creepy, with questionable hygiene and dozens and dozens of unblinking dolls in her kitchen.
The ice cream's nothing to scream about, and the set up is kind of uncomfortable. I think this place is worth one trip but probably not more.
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I don't have a large range on which to base my review. Never the less I will confidently stride forth and write it anyway!!
I've been here only once and actually I like it from the outside better than in. The 50's era look is authentic, complete with booths who's springs might bust through the cracking vinyl and goose ya while you're sitting there, so watch your ass. There are also a ton of pictures and handmade cards from kids to their dad. There is some serious Dad pride going on in this joint. Strange, but interesting enough to look at.
I've been here only once and I got the root beer float. I was playing a part of school girl at the time, so it worked. I was mighty satisfied with the Massive float. The root beer was a bit mild (I like a bite from my root beer) but the vanilla ice cream was good and that's about all there is to say about that.
I remember sitting at home with a few friends. Check Please was on and someone on the show suggested this place. Then one of my friend just went alright let's go try it out. So, 5-6 of us jammed in a car and went looking for it. Oh my! I was not expecting this.
I felt like we were sitting in a closet. It's crammed with all this stuff (junk).
The ice cream was nothing special. Didn't seem too clean or maybe just the stuff was showing their age.
So much for going on a urge. I guess it's good to go try it once.
Why can't I take Margie's everywhere with me? Just get in my pocket!!
The best ice cream confections every in history! I mean, they're like Food Network Hall of Fame good. This place has so much history in it-it's like watching VH1 and the History Channel all in one with all the music, the antiques, and photos of the Beatles when they came and dined forever ago.
Get all the toppings you can 'cause it's real fruit-not flavoring. Real stuff. The servers are really old ladies so be good to them and be patient 'cause they have to deal with school age punks and hyper active 20 something's like myself reminiscing childhood and dreaming of taking my kids there someday.
I'm lactose intolerant but I gladly grab my stomach for the honor and privilege to call Margie's dinner as I pour more hot fudge from the boats and pray for forgiveness. If you're a Chicagoan, you know what I'm talking about. If you're not-don't hate us for having the best ice cream shop there is!
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After finishing up at Volo, I decided to take my visitors from New York to a somewhat iconic place for Chicago dessert. We were told the wait would be 20 min but ended up closer to 40 minutes. They apologized for the long wait and gave us comp chocolate turtles while we waited.
I ordered my usual fruit sundae, which always leaves me satisfied. My friends decided on the chocolate soda and Eiffel Tower. When it first came out, we were just shocked at how massive it was!!! We poked some fun at it because it looked nothing like the Eiffel Tower. It was more like a gallon of ice cream in a flower vase haha! (posted some pics BTW) I thought the "Tower of Babylon" or "Colosseum" would have been a little more appropriate. My friends found it cumbersome to eat out it from the top, so they turned the vase onto it's side. The server complemented us on our "ingenuity". I think they use they huge vases more for the server's entertainment, so they can watch us monkeys figure a way to eat out of it.
I think the ice cream is alright, but it's how the fruit mingles with ice cream that makes it such a great dessert. Margies always hits the spot!
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We popped in here for a quick desert and although there was quite a crowd, we were able to pop in and order to-go and be on our way in about 10 minutes.
The decor is a bit of a trip and the cramped space leaves a little to be desired. However, the banana split was good and the added sugar wafers are a nice touch.
Definitely more of a 'scene' than a 'have to do because of the food', but its fun and who doesn't like ice cream? The late-night hours are a plus for a case of the munchies.
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This place did not excite me. In fact, I found that it was cramped and chaotic. But it's an old school sweet shop, with that kind of Malt Shop/Woolworth's Lunch Counter kind of feel. It's definitely interesting but nothing particularly special to me. It's got old-timey charm, but it was just so crowded.
They do have a full menu of diner foods and loads of different shakes and sundaes you can order. As for the quality of the ice cream, not bad, but nothing special. They ARE open till 1am on weekends, though, which is really, really awesome. We ordered take-out and were asked to hang outside.. now I understand why I always see gaggles of people loitering in front of that place in the summer.
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If it wasn't for the lines and the fact that I am not a fifteen year old with fast metabolism anymore I would be there every day. I have been going to Margies for ten years. I love the place! I used to take my report card (from college ;-p) and get a free cone for my As ha ha. I can't do that anymore but I drag my friends or anyone willing with me when I can. I get the banana nut sundae with pecans instead of nuts and add chocolate sauce to it. The oreo milkshake is yummy too!
Every time me and my beau pass this joint he shouts in high-pitched kiddie voice "maarrrggies!".
The serving size of sundaes, shakes, banana splits is huge. This is not your average baskin robbins run-in. no no, seriously be prepared for mass-consumption of sugar and cream. Also, you need ample amount of time to get through the line and wait staff.
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I remember going here years ago and went again. I'm not really into the whole old school decor and it feels very cramped, but I do love a good sundae. I wanted to split a sundae, but we realized there was a $2 fee for those sharing so we also added an apple pie, better to get something than nothing for your money =)
The sundae was delicious, I like how you can pour on your own hot fudge. The server was a bit hard to get a hold of, I recommend ordering and asking for everything you want all at once.
Turtle sundaes were roughly $6 and I think that came with 3 scoops of ice cream, a nice affordable treat on these summer days.
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I was born in Humbolt Park. And promptly whisked off to the burbs for a proper (yet boring) upbringing. But every chance I had, I ventured back to see Gramma and we would take the bus to Margie's for a spectacular treat.
While it seems they are probably using the same serving dishes as they did then, there is something nostalgic that washes over me every time I come here. Or drive by for that matter. I miss the White Castle (that looked like a real Castle) that was across the street, which was usually part of our foray to this area. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard "if you are good, kids, we can go to Margie's". Yes, I often behaved myself for the sake of Margie's. My how times have changed.
Delicious, rich, house made hot fudge. Served on the side so you can get saucy if you wish or play it easy. No problem. Hand dipped ice cream. Dineresque food. The crazy doll and animal collection and the booths that you stick to. What an amazing, magical place in a world full of Coldstone and Baskin Robbins.
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Margie's is old and very authentic. It got used for the "god, wish it was never released" Bettie Page Uncensored DVD but the one scene in Margie's was right on for the period.
Old, but a place to visit before it, like so many others, is gone.
I'm definitely a fan of this old-school ice cream parlor. It's been around for over 80 years! And looking at the long lines outside during the summer, you can see how popular it still is. They have delicious (and HUGE) milkshakes, banana splits, ice cream sodas, and sundaes. It's a summer tradition that brings people back year after year.
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So maybe it is because my friend and I didn't grow up in this neighborhood or Chicago even. So Margie's Candies has no sentimental meaning to us...whatsoever.
Seriously though, I don't know what all the hype about Margie's is. My friend and I were craving Ice Cream after going to Kuma's Corner on saturday and we remembered that Margie's was close by so we swung by.
We entered and I was just like oh, it is like a restaurant, a very old restaurant, but sure whatever that is fine. Old doesn't necessarily mean bad food and or service.
So the guy at the counter creeped me out seriously, He goes " Can I help you?" In a Alfred Hitchcock deep strange voice and was just staring at me very strangely. I didn't know what to say and then a waiter came and interrupted the stare with saying hello and asking for her or to go. I was happy that he saved me from the stare...im weird I know this..
So we are seated, and my chair feels like I am going to fall out of it. It kept wobbling and squeaking. Once again it is an old place and the decor is old and whatever sure that is fine, however I feel like places should still maintain up keep of furniture etc..
So we order the Ice cream
I had a brownie a la mode something or other and my friend had marshmallow sundae something or other I don't remember.
All I remember is that she found no marshmallow anything in her sundae and the fudge wasn't hot.
Mine came with a brownie and tons of ice cream and whipped cream.
...Ok sure the brownie was good but it was too too too much ice cream and it just wasn't that good to me. I would have liked maybe one scoop of ice cream with one brownie. Instead I had a huge bowl of ice cream and whipped cream with this small brownie and a wafer. I ate the brownie and very minimal Ice cream because it was just too much and was totally wasted as it all just melted.
Perhaps it was a combination for me, of the decor and thinking that I was eating off the same spoon and serving bowl that was used 39 years ago and that my chair was about to fall apart and the old man was staring at me creepily and the ice cream wasn't that great and bla. I guess walking in I expected a place like http://www.yelp.com/bi..., which I adore.
So with that said, sorry Margie, I don't think I will be back.
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This is going to be long, sorry. I'm going to do something unusual and open up my lockbox of Words That I Banned Myself From Using Because They Are Terribly Cliched. Mind you, this chest has a large, complicated lock, so for me to open it up means that I really, really, really need to use that word. Ready? Here we go: OVERRATED.
On my walk over here, I was really hoping that I could add Margie's to the extremely short list of classic ice cream parlors here in Chicago. I love a good ice cream parlor! This was not one. It looked like the worst version of a deteriorated 1960's relic from your shadowy nightmares. Character? Ugh, I beg to differ. At a glance, this place screamed to me: dingy, stifling, end-of-life-depression disguised as iconoclasm.
There was not a line, which put me off my guard based on other reviews. Instead I stepped inside to be greeted by the hostess who asked if I wanted "for here." One look around and I nearly fled entirely. Instead I told her that I wanted to sit outside, which she confirmed as "to go." Then she stood there with her order pad as I looked around for the menu board. Oh, there it is. Gee, what else can you tell me about your items? What is on the sundaes? Am I supposed to guess or is everyone assumed to be a regular? What about the traditional pacing back and forth in front of the ice cream case to examine the flavors? I felt pressured to order since she was standing there waiting for me, so after a quick glance down the board, I asked for a turtle sundae. "Nuts?" Well, for fuck's sake, yes. Otherwise, it wouldn't be a turtle sundae, would it? (That was my internal dialogue; in reality: "Yes, please.")
Then she handed my ticket to the cashier, who looked like he had just been wheeled away from the dining-hall table at Shady Acres Nursing Home. One look at his slack-jawed, dead-eyed expression and I knew for sure that I hated this place. The first thing that he did was put a nickel on the counter between us. Gee, thanks. That must have been worth something back in 1955 when you started the job. Is this some sort of chit that I turn in when you give me the sundae? We stared at each other for a moment, as I considered pulling an innocents-abroad move and just holding open my wallet for him to extract the right amount, until I said, "What's the total?" He replied, "Four ninety-five" in a tone which intimated that it was his second time telling me. How the hell am I supposed to know the total? I've never been here before, the taxes just went up anyway, and the lady handed the ticket straight to the cashier. Argh. So, okay, I get it--he anticipated a cash payment and knew that my change would include $0.05 in any case. That realization only partially lessened the strangeness of the encounter. At that moment, I would have given my left nut to have exactly $4.95 to hand him, and leave the nickel sitting on the counter.
So then I waited a few minutes, got my sundae, took it outside, and dove in. It was good--high-quality ice cream and hot fudge and caramel sauces. However, it had crushed peanuts instead of pecans. Isn't it the pecans that make it a turtle sundae? (sigh) So I devoured my sundae while watching the lovely traffic on Western Avenue.
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Expect a wait. It's so good there is almost always a line. It's small and a throw back but man is their ice cream treats worth the wait!!!! Never tried the food. It's more of a dinner somewhere else and dessert at Margies, you will NOT be dissapointed but expect to wait.
My friend and I made a failed attempt to hit the Empty Bottle's garage sale. Unfortunately, we were a day early, so we went here instead.
She had fond memories of a coconut sundae, while I was all about the marshmallow and chocolate one.
I have to say, I LOVE that the sundaes come out with the sauce on the side. That's amazing, since I normally hate how you either don't get any sauce at the end, or you have nothing BUT sauce left.
The ice cream itself wasn't anything mind blowing, but the place itself? Oh my gosh, I felt like I stepped back in time. Everything -- the stuffed animal pairs, the lights, the man behind the register -- was as if it hadn't changed a whit.
...except for the poor host, who was on his first day and already being hassled by a woman next to us. Poor fellow.
You know it's good if there's a 30 minute line just to sit down and eat ice cream! The sundaes are HUGE and I would recommend sharing. Otherwise you end with that, "omg WHY did i eat so much ice cream?!" feeling...
I was a little overwhelmed with the huge selection of things to get... so I decided to get a banana sundae. Unfortunately I was caught off guard by the massive options I had to choose from. "What ice creams did you want?" I hadn't realized the ice-creams were listed at the bottom of the menu.... So in my panic, I chose Strawberry, pistachio, and butter pecan (an interesting mix indeed). Then I was asked what topping I wanted, fruit or chocolate syrup. In the two seconds that I thought about it, I decided neither one would go well with all three so I panicked again and said fruit. Luckily for me, the fruit topping came on the side.
All in all, I wouldn't go there OFTEN unless it was to take the order to go. But it's something to try at least once if you haven't gone before. And my first experience here was an awesome one! (even though a friend of mine insisted that he's taken me here before to get shakes.... and realized that he had confused me for one of his guy friends..... we're not going to go into that now though) Try it out~ it'll take you back to your childhood years. =)
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The worst food ever! Overpriced everything. Cool atmosphere for 10 minutes. Ok candies and truffles etc. Again the worst sit down foodI have ever had at any type of food joint anywhere.
Oh what a terrible, terrible place! I have to scold my stomach for getting the better of me and dragging me kicking and screaming into the doorway. Obviously, it would be rude of me to walk in and out, so I had to get something. As I looked around, I pictured myself with some other people enjoying more of the items on their menu. In the middle of the place are all the candies, chocolates, and truffles. I figured that being in between meals resulted in a snack size temptation. I uh, went with the uh...waffle cone with two scoops of ice cream - mint chocolate chip and strawberry cheesecake. It costed me about $4.50, but it was worth it. I walked out like a kid in a candy store. It was warm out and it was dripping on my hand and legs and on my face, and I didn't even care. I think I get a sugar rush every time I look over at the store's big neon sign.
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Duh! It's such a classic Chicago spot. I get a tummy ache everytime i visit because i dont eat dairy too often. There are a million choices for rich sundaes and I like to get the very bland but so homemade egg salad sandwich.
My boyfriend and I came here last night because he always wants to get something sweet late at night, and went home with a tummy ache from his swiss miss sundae. And he does not regret!
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Nice spot to bring the kiddies or a date for a ice cream treat .They have these huge sundaes that are meant for sharing with a few people .We usually get the Sundae with a about 10 scoops of ice cream and toppings in a huge glass bowl and that feeds 5 of us just fine .They also sell homeade sweets and chocolates .Watching my kids eat rock candy on a stick really took me back to my chidhood .The place is definently old school it could use a little remodeling (some of the seats have duct tape on them ...but then again maybe thats where the beatles sat when they stopped in for ice cream here back in the day so maybe thats their way of "preserving "it .LOL !
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Oh My!!! Yum. Ridiculously satisfying. Huge sundaes that really should be shared. But, no. My boyfriend and I each had our own. I had a hot fudge banana split and it was amazing!!! He had a turtle sundae and it was also ridiculous. It took us a long time to finally check this place out, but now that we have, I fear we will be craving the deliciousness all too often. Such a great spot for hot summer dates.
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I had such high hopes for Margies. I don't even hate the decor-sure it looks like you just stepped into a time machine and are in someone's grandmother's house but that was part of the charm. The creepy dolls covered in plastic, the mirrors, gold, and pink.....
I actually ordered soup and a sandwich from there. That was my first mistake. I was seriously served Campbells condensed chicken noodle from a can.
The ice cream? It's not even homemade, when I went there I saw a DEAN'S carton being scooped out of. The sundaes are strange combinations and actually (and I never thought I'd say this) TOO BIG. They were expensive and during the summer you can wait more than 20 minutes just to get a sundae that I could do better myself at home.
I'm convinced that everything that they serve there is re-packaged retail stuff (dean's, eggo, campbells, redi-wip) they just open boxes and cans and serve.
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..." The thrill is gone....the thrills is gone baby...."
I guess it makes sense that Chicago has such a great blues history as another icon though standing is just only a shadow of what it used to be.
Its almost impossible to screw up this formula.
Ice cream, big toppings = smiles and laughs
despite the hard working people here and their efforts to try to please, they obviously forgot something....
Quality ice cream.
maybe blame it on the economy, gas prices and inflated milk costs, but the magic in the bowls they serve...at least for me was no more;-(
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We've been here twice (not by my choice.) The place needs a dusting and cleaning BIG TIME. Some remodeling and upkeep wouldn't hurt either. Now I don't mind the old style 'charm', it gives it character, but damn, have a little pride in the place. This is supposed to be a Chicago classic spot that's been around forever. It doesn't have to look like it hasn't been cleaned, dusted and fixed since then though.
As far as the food and ice cream, there is nothing special or extraordinary about it. I'm puzzled why it's been around for so long and why so many people sweat it.
Opened in 1921, this old-time sweets shop has been hitting the grind for decades, no--scratch that--generations. Its rustic charm radiates under the florescent lights, and layers of dust sit upon layers of history. It's a shop that transcended to an institution.
The ice cream itself isn't the greatest, but vintage in its preparation and presentation. It's the way it was back in grandpa's day, before they pumped it with mutated hormones and preservatives, with milk made from bionic sows.
Every time I settled into one of the booths, I close my eyes and think about hungover Sunday sundaes with sweethearts sitting across from me, accomplishing far more than all the Excedrin in the world can do. I see the astonished wonder in the eyes of out-of-towners when their decadence is placed before them on a platter of cream, chocolate, caramel, and a couple of wafer cookies for good measure. I see myself, gorging, on a giant mess of tooth-aching sweets in a blender pitcher made for five, with all of my friends cheering me on.
I think back at what might have been, too.
I think of Ola and Henri, a high school couple who met here on their first date. They held gazes while ordering, throughout their milkshake, and during a game of footsie while waiting for the check to come. Not much else was said outside of bashful giggles, but Henri shrugged, put a nickel in the jukebox and played "It's Too Soon to Know" by The Orioles.
I think of ol' Peter, the neighborhood drunk, stumbling in during everyone's post-dinner dessert. He had just stopped by the Cut Rate with edelberry juice in a brown bag and felt possessed enough to go hollerin' profanities at appalled families and chuckling teens. It took three men to drag him out--that's how wild he was.
I think of 12-year old Luis, who was feeling confident on his birthday. Hell, his parents got him the Metroplex action figure, so he felt damn near invincible. So much, he returned the hard stare of a group of gangbangers a few grades up at Roberto Clemente, and mouthed the words, "Fuck you, tough guy. You're eating ice cream!" Amongst the teens, the alpha male's sneer softened to a chagrinned smirk, and he served up an acknowledging nod.
I think of 8-year old Anna, who quietly sits in the booth with her parents and grandfather, hours after her grandmother's funeral. Her mother solemnly flipped through the defunct jukeboxes, reminiscing. "Mom used to take me here when I got straight A's on my report card." Grandpa stopped her in mid-flip and nodded, "Yes. And this is where your mother and I had our first date." He put a quarter into the broken machine, punched in "It's Too Soon to Know," and said, "And this was our song." Henri hummed to break up the silence.
It all might have happened in this very booth. That, and many more stories of an evolving community. Prefab chains can't manufacture that kind of intimacy, but the history ingrained in the air is as thick and palatable as the ice cream.
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This place has been here all my life! I used to stop in with my mom when I was a kid and I remember the Old lady Margie (who passed away about 10-15 years ago) she used to do everything in there with her sister? I think.
ANYWAY. As I grew older I tried it again.......... Not so bueno.
I mean theres all this old junk all over the place.
and I remember one time Margies son (some guy with a moustache) was yelling at employees right there right in front of customers.
Nope nope ............If Margie was alive Im sure she would be dissapointed.
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I can't believe a place like this actually exists! It's like having desert in your grandmothers home. There are so many options and they're all delicious. I typically don't like hot fudge on my ice cream, but theirs was AMAZING! The prices are much better than Cold Stone or any competitor. &nb