Anne Valdespino

Orange County Register

The last Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour has closed in Brea, and that is apparently the end of the chain for now.

The Buena Park store closed in December even after an attempt by Marcus Lemonis to save it failed to turn a profit. The host of CNBC’S reality business show “The Profit” spent months shooting there in 2016. The Brea store was privately owned by a group of investors.

Ventura County food coverage:

The scoop-heavy treats, singing waiters, train whistles and faux Tiffany lamps seemed completely dated in the age of liquid nitrogen and gourmet vegan ice cream but Farrell’s had its fans to the end.

Farewell comments began appearing on Facebook on Saturday. They ranged from “Farrell’s in Brea is closed. So sad … It was so much fun. It is going to be missed. Tonight I drove by all the lights are out. People were standing at the door trying to see in, I think they were hoping for some of their favorite Ice Cream” to “I still have a coupon to use … darn it!”

Although the website and Facebook page say nothing about the closure, phone calls to the restaurant were unanswered and attempts to leave messages were met with a “mailbox full” recorded message.

According to its website, Farrell’s was founded by Robert Farrell in Portland, Oregon, in 1963 and by 1970 he operated more than 50 restaurants in the West. Acquired by Marriott Corporation in 1971, it grew to more than 130 locations nationwide. It was sold to a San Francisco investment group in 1988, but most locations had closed by 1990.

In 2009, Lake Forest-based Parlour Enterprises Inc. revived the company and operated seven shops, mostly in Southern California with locations in Mission Viejo, Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, and one in Sacramento, hoping to expand nationally. Buena Park’s Farrell’s was owned by Parlour Enterprises when Lemonis initially attempted to rescue it.

Lemonis still owns the brand and concept. In a January interview on the closure of the Buena Park store, he said he might retool the brand when the time is right. “I’ll hold onto it until I find another opportunity, even a smaller concept like a quick serve, and trademark it,” he said. “I’ll put it on the shelf and wait for the right window.”

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