Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour: in Buena Park remains temporarily closed. “The Profit” millionaire Marcus Lemonis took over the location near Knott’s Berry Farm in late January. After a remodel, the restaurant was expected to reopen in March. However, marketing director Shauna Parisi said delays have pushed back the reopening until at least late April.

Marcus Lemonis, host of The Profit, center, gives tips to Travis Lee, Director of Operations. Lee remains at the company, but other executives have left including Marketing Director Shauna Parisi.

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Farrell’s temporary closure in Buena Park comes after the company was featured in Lemonis’ business rescue show last summer. In the episode, Lemonis invested $750,000 in Farrell’s, which had accumulated debt of nearly $2 million. Since then, he told the Register he’s spent more capital on the business to keep it afloat. In late January, Farrell’s laid off workers and closed the restaurant for a remodel. Parisi said The Profit plans to air a follow-up segment on Farrell’s. The air date has not been released.

Jan Avadilla tidies up Farrell’s in Buena Park’s new candy shop. Several employees are featured in “The Profit” airing on Aug. 23 on CNBC. The episode chronicles the transformation of Farrell’s in Buena Park with a revamped store with a candy store, new menu items. The restaurant was the target of a remodel. ///ADDITIONAL INFO: Biz.Farrells.0819- shot date- 8/17/16 -ANA VENEGAS, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER Farrell’s in Buena Park is revamping its menu and ice cream after closing two underperforming restaurants. The nostalgic brand is also being featured The Profit on Aug. 23 on CNBC In that episode, the Buena Park restaurant was the target of a major remodel and will show case a new menu and a showcase candy shop which has already increased sales.



The Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour in Buena Park, now owned by self-made millionaire Marcus Lemonis of the “The Profit” on CNBC, is slated to reopen next month after a major remodel.

“It’s going to be a full-scale revision,” said Travis Lee, director of operations.

Lee said the redo includes a higher quality menu of scratch-made foods, a new dining room with an ice cream shop for to-go orders, revised employee uniforms and a new line of ice cream.

He declined to reveal specific details about the decor.but promised fans that Farrell’s is “100 percent holding on to the nostalgia” the brand is known for.

As such, specialty ice cream sundae desserts such as The Zoo and Pig Trough will remain on the revamped menu.

“The history is important,” he said.

The remodel at the 2-year-old Buena Park restaurant near Knott’s Berry Farm comes months after a management shake-up at the company.

The Buena Park location previously was owned and operated by Lake Forest-based Parlour Enterprises. After Farrell’s ran into financial troubles last year, Parlour Enterprises executives appeared on Lemonis’ business rescue show “The Profit.”

During the show, it was revealed Farrell’s stores were in debt nearly $2 million. Lemonis, who has invested more than $35 million in companies featured on his reality show, said he believed in the brand. He invested $750,000 in Farrell’s and suggested major fixes like scrapping the use of Thrifty Ice Cream and revamping the menu.

He also discouraged the loud celebratory sirens, drums, and singing. He advised then-CEO Mike Fleming and President Paul Kramer to close the Rancho Cucamonga restaurant.

In late January, Lemonis was summoned to rescue the brand again as Parlour Enterprises continued to spiral financially. Lemonis told the Register that Farrell’s owed its Buena Park landlord nine months rent equalling about $200,000. Vendors also had gone unpaid.

“On several occasions, I had to loan them money to pay employees,” Lemonis said.

His company ML Foods now owns the Farrell’s trademark. Fleming and Kramer, who resurrected the nostalgic ice cream brand in 2009 with the opening of Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour at The Shops at Mission Viejo, have exited the company.

Marketing Director Shauna Parisi, whose fresh ideas were favored by Lemonis, also recently left to take over marketing duties at Irvine-based Juice it Up.

Lee said the restaurant is holding a job fair next week as the June 15 reopening date draws closer.

When the restaurant closed earlier this year, some ex-employees expressed concern about the Profit’s impact on the kid-friendly brand. After the show aired last summer, the restaurant stopped using drums and sirens for special celebrations because it was too noisy, employees said.

On Wednesday, Lee said drums will stick around but the celebratory atmosphere will be “toned down.”

On Aug. 1, The Profit is slated to air a follow-up show on Farrell’s.