Reversal of Fortune

In 1996, a California company called The Kirin Group (not the Japanese conglomerate) bought the master development rights to Farrell's from Marriott. In 1999, a new Farrell’s parlour was opened by Kirin in Temecula, California. This parlour, while offering sundaes which were faithful to the Farrell's recipes, lacked the atmosphere traditionally found in the early parlours. (An on-line review is found at colddeadfish.) That store subsequently closed.  In May 2002, a new, prototype store opened in the Mountasia Family Fun Center in Santa Clarita, California.  A company called Parlour Enterprises, Inc. had licensed the rights to Farrell's from the Kirin Group to develop Farrell's in California.

Farrell's at the Promenade in Temecula, California

An on-line review of the pilot store can be found at colddeadfish.net

Santa Clarita

In November, 2002, I made my first pilgrimage out to Santa Clarita to see what the new parlour looks and acts like. Mountasia's Family Fun Center is a sizeable indoor/outdoor entertainment complex (go-cart track, bumper boats, miniature golf) - Farrell's is located within the single, large indoor complex. As a prototype store, there are some shortcomings but, all in all, the parlour has a nice nostalgic look to it. The bell and siren are back, as is the birthday drum and the player piano. The piano is computer-controlled versus the paper-roll mechanisms of old. The computer control runs on Microsoft Windows 98, and while I was there the software crashed. Three words I thought I'd never hear: "Reboot the Piano."

I met with Paul Kramer (Chief Operating Officer for Parlour Enterprises) and Mike Fleming (Chief Executive Officer). Paul readily admits there are areas which need to be worked at, which is the primary reason the Santa Clarita parlour was built. The objective is to work out any kinks at this parlour so the next parlour will be able to operate at its full potential on day one.  Parlour Enterprises has a genuine desire to redevelop Farrell's in the image of its founders. To that end I was able to impart some of my limited knowledge of the Farrell's of Old during my visit. I was most impressed with their openness and willingness to accept input from someone they had never met; this tells me that their desire to "do Farrell's right" is genuine.

Other Developments

In May, 2003, an article appeared in the Ventura County Star about Paradigm Entertainment Group (aka Paradigm Leisure and Entertainment, Inc.) acquiring the rights to Farrell's. In October, another article stated that Paradigm would not be building Farrell's after all. There has been litigation over Farrell's in California (see my Legal section).

In November, 2005, I was contacted by a reporter from the Honolulu Advertiser, who was doing a story about Farrell's returning to the Aloha State. In September, 2006 a new Farrell's opened in the Windward Mall on O'ahu. Based on limited pictures that I have seen, this parlour is based more on the Temecula model than the Santa Clarita model. E Noa Corporation (the Hawaii-based trolley tour company) owns and operates the Windward Farrell's, and as part of their theme, they constructed a fake trolley car inside the restaurant. I saw a video clip of the new store on Google. Certain elements of the store are nice - the sign over the front door is taken from the classic signage of parlours past, they have an authentic-looking player piano by the entryway, and the half-barrel buckets of candy in the candy store adds a nice touch. However, the fast-food booths and tables belie the $10+/head cost of eating there, and the overall theme looks like a cross between a Dairy Queen and a day care center. No tiffany lamps or red-flocked wallpaper here. The paint scheme in the party rooms looks like a bad episode of Trading Spaces.

The video also shows a zoo run (actually more like a leisurely walk). It didn't show the ice cream fountain, so I am guessing it is not viewable from the dining room. The Farrell's name still has mass appeal, though. The parlour has seemingly done well, at least initially, with waiting times of up to 2 hours during peak times, and the party room has been booked through 2006. I am guessing the long waits are as much due to lack of coordination and efficiency as sheer popularity.

I had read that E Noa is also considering using a more "classic" motif in their next Farrell's. One suggestion - fix the parlour that is already open first.