Doncha just love Los Angeles and its memetic architecture (a building constructed in an unusual shape as a novelty)? This upside-down ice cream cone was part of the “Chapman Fancy Ice Creams” chain of ice cream parlors/drugstores. By 1932, they had more than 20 locations throughout the L.A. area, but not all of them looked like this. I don’t know where this particular Chapman’s stood but I bet it was a neighborhood landmark.
Debora says: “The vernacular ice cream cone shop that you have identified as Chapman Fine Ice Cream, was located at Chapman Avenue and North Main in Santa Ana, hence the name. It was part of a chain of Big Cone ice cream outlets established by Frank E. Jackson and George N. Nazel of Santa Ana. The Big Cone Operating Company (you can see the sign above the door) hoped to have one in every city in Orange County. There was one in Fullerton, Orange, Laguna Beach, and Balboa, and as far away as Nashville. The Local History Room of the Fullerton Public Library has a photograph of the Fullerton one, then called Helen’s Cones in the 1930s. There is a brief history of the company in the Santa Ana Register, March 11,1928. What makes the cones particularly cool is that the owner filed a patent for the building design. Des. 75, 511. I don’t think the company lasted that long.”
The Big Cone above was selling ice cream manufactured by Chapman’s Ice Cream Company in Los Angeles. Parts of two stories in Debra’s post (above) have the Big Cone at North Main and Chapman Avenue. That was the location of Franklins Fine Ice Cream plant since December 1929, having moved from Santa Ana. The ice cream plant was located in an area referred to as, “Orana” (half-way between Orange and Santa Ana) until enveloped by the encroaching City of Orange. The City of Orange “Big Cone” location was at 644 West Chapman Avenue and sold Franklins Fine Ice Cream at its location.
Doncha just love Los Angeles and its memetic architecture (a building constructed in an unusual shape as a novelty)? This upside-down ice cream cone was part of the “Chapman Fancy Ice Creams” chain of ice cream parlors/drugstores. By 1932, they had more than 20 locations throughout the L.A. area, but not all of them looked like this. I don’t know where this particular Chapman’s stood but I bet it was a neighborhood landmark.
The Big Cone above was selling ice cream manufactured by Chapman’s Ice Cream Company in Los Angeles. Parts of two stories in Debra’s post (above) have the Big Cone at North Main and Chapman Avenue. That was the location of Franklins Fine Ice Cream plant since December 1929, having moved from Santa Ana. The ice cream plant was located in an area referred to as, “Orana” (half-way between Orange and Santa Ana) until enveloped by the encroaching City of Orange. The City of Orange “Big Cone” location was at 644 West Chapman Avenue and sold Franklins Fine Ice Cream at its location.
Thanks, Roger!