Shelby Clark
Space Analysis Essay
WRD 110-001
4/17/13
The Ice Cream Factory: A Detailed Look
Tony
Visconti, an American record producer, once said, “It
is easily overlooked that what is now called vintage was once brand new.”
(Visconti) There is something beautiful
and intriguing about an old building. It
is something that has seen and heard incredible things from an era that we can
only experience through secondhand information.
There is also this quality of strength that a historic building possesses,
considering it has withstood wear throughout the decades and still embodies
character and charm. In Paducah, Kentucky, on the foot of Broadway near the
Ohio River, a whole street is composed of these very types of buildings. One in
particular is an ice cream shop modeled to imitate the old-fashioned ice cream
parlor, called the Ice Cream Factory. Along with the lower town location of the shop
and its old timey vibe, this space was restored and remodeled to channel an
original old fashion parlor in order to attract a variety of crowds including
local artists, families, and the older generation, all looking to experience the
charm and unique character of this ice cream shop.
Located
in the complex called “at Riverplace”, the 100 block of Broadway in Paducah
houses a string of brick buildings, constructed 20 years after the American
Civil War in 1885. Original uses for the building varied widely. Originally the
structure housed a trunk factory and went on to be used for a cotton house, beer
distributing depot, Famous Steam Laundry, and printing company throughout the
late 1800s. Transforming into Paducah
Printing company in 1907, a new façade was added to the building, along with
the name “CLARK” and “1907” painted onto the bricks. A 19-year-old boy ran the
company by the name of Tom Rogers.
Following the printing company the building housed a variety of offices
and was finally covered by a metal facing for the use of Petter Marine Supply
in 1960 until 1998. Purchased by Ron and Sue Clark in the late 1990s, the
restoration process began to renew this historic landmark in Paducah, now in
the National Register of Historic Places.
With over 40 years of experience in the dairy industry, the Clarks
established the Ice Cream Factory along with three other businesses in the
Riverplace complex.
When
beginning the restoration processes, many things had to be taken into
consideration. With the historic state of the building, some structures were
refurbished to look as close to the original structures as possible. The brick
interior is noticeably worn and old, but adequately depicts the age of the
building. This feature was kept intact in order to preserve the character of
the building. Other original pieces were a result of the Industrial Revolution
occurring in the mid-1800s. Progress in technology during the 19th
century produced the mass use of cast iron among other inventions. (“19th
Century) The advances in architecture
during this period brought the emergence of the Truss beam and bridge system.
This structure features a system of cast iron beams and cables in order to
support a building or bridge. (Lamb) However, the use of the truss beam in
buildings has faded over the years due to more efficient innovations, making
this feature in the building rare. In
the back room where the ice cream is homemade, the original partitions are
still in place with the thick 1900s style glass windows. Other original
architectural features include the interior concrete pillar and an interesting
tile mosaic at the front door. The tiles spelled the name “CLARK”, matching the
painted brick. However, there is no relation to the current owners, Ron and Sue
Clark. The tiles were refurbished to mint condition during restoration, and
still lay there today.
Some
structures were transported from other areas of the building. The parlor boasts
a tin ceiling, an extremely old-fashioned staple dating back to the 1900s. In
this Victorian era when the appearance and elegance of a home or building was
most important, a tin ceiling offered a more cost effective and timely
alternative to a plaster ceiling. (“Why are tin ceilings so popular today?”)
The remaining features were completely rebuilt to model the original structure
and imitate an old-fashioned parlor.
Lighting fixtures from the Victorian era embodied chandeliers with a
muted brass finishing, mostly combined with gas and electricity.
(Powell-Smith) In the Ice Cream Factory,
small chandeliers of this type were installed in order to imitate this style. A tiled back bar was also installed, representing
the retro bar style providing space for a waffle cone iron, milkshake maker,
syrups, and a dipping rail. All of the
ice cream is produced in the back room, away from the view of the customers. It
is all made from one machine that was brought in post-restoration, and has been
producing the famous ice cream for ten years.
Designed to peak consumer interest, the large front windows were
installed to create the perfect view of waffle cone making from the
street. Many customers stop to view this
novelty, and ultimately come in to experience the complete character of the
unique parlor. Sue Clark recalls seeing
a picture of this style of ice-cream parlor in a magazine. She says that most
of her inspiration was drawn from that picture, and the current Ice Cream
Factory store was designed to imitate it.
Architectural
features do provide a huge bulk of rarity of this shop, however finishing
touches such as knick-knacks and ice-cream parlor staples thoroughly provide
the complete vintage vibe. Throughout
the Clarks 40 years in the dairy industry, the couple has collected a variety
of trinkets and objects that describe their experiences. Above the back tiled bar is a mirror with a
mantle hanging above. Arranged on the
mantle, there is a collection of old glass milk bottles. The bottles number to
about 50 and are completed with an old-fashioned wire milk carton and wooden
cartons on the opposing wall. Hanging on
the brick wall behind the counter is a picture of a dairy sign, named “City
Consumers Co.” The dairy was originally used as a distillery until Prohibition.
In 1920, it eventually became known as Blanding Dairy after City Consumers Co.
Owner, Ron Clark worked at the company during the beginning of his dairy
career, tying in the significance of its placement in the shop along with its
overall vintage feel. Also contributing
to this style is a metal ice cream pushcart with an umbrella. These carts were
predominantly used in cities to sell ice cream on the streets, during a time
that ice cream production had not yet become extremely popular. Along the back brick wall is a glass bar with
stools for customers. This provides a unique seating area for consumers and a
place for the perfect photo-op.
Two
staples that complete the illusion of the old-fashioned parlor are the soda
jerk hat and iconic waffle cone. The soda jerk hat is a famous staple for the
old-fashioned ice cream bars, dating back to the 20s until the 50s. (“History
of Soda Jerks”) This simple item creates the old-timey experience and takes the
customer back to a time of soda jerks, phosphates, soda floats, and homemade
sundaes. Waffle cones provide a familiar
choice of cone and an intoxicating aroma that fills the shop anytime they are
being made. The first waffle cone made its appearance by accident at the
World’s Fair in 1904, when an ice cream vendor ran out of normal cones. Ernest
E. Hamwi was selling waffle pastries nearby and rolled a pastry into a
cornucopia style to hold the ice cream. (“A Brief History of Ice Cream”) The
cone became a huge success and went on to become a legendary staple in the ice
cream industry. Made daily at the Ice
Cream Factory, the cones are a customer favorite and ultimately represent the
pride and effort put into creating this old-fashioned ice cream parlor appearance
and character.
Downtown
Paducah represents many things that describe the heart of Paducah. The National
Quilt Museum is located within one half mile of the shop bringing in 40,000
quilters in the month of April alone for the yearly quilt show. Also, the parlor is located near the
Lowertown Arts District, which boasts an assortment of local art studios. Paducah has a keen eye for the arts,
providing a place for local artists to thrive and become established. (“Artist
Relocation Program”) These two groups are attracted to the downtown area of the
Ice Cream Factory, along with many others.
According to Sue Clark, a wide variety of
customers travel through the small parlor on a weekly basis. Although the teenager based clientele is
significantly smaller because of the recent trends in self-serve frozen yogurt
shops, many specific groups visit the shop frequently. Families are very popular regulars on the
weekends, attracting families that just want a change from the mundane
metropolitan area of Paducah. Kids love
the process of picking toppings through the glass and watching the worker make
their particular creation on the marble slab, and finally receiving a soda jerk
hat to top it off at the end. This
creates the perfect environment for parents to take pictures of their children
in the old-fashioned setting on the bar stools with their soda jerk hat. This is an experience that would not likely
be imitated at the typical Cold Stone Creamery.
Due to the lower town location, many artists and coffee-shop dwellers
trickle through the Ice Cream Factory.
Also, the older generation of clientele especially enjoys the old-timey
experience of the shop. This is likely
due to the fact that the parlor brings back memories from their own life,
during a time that the original ice cream parlors were becoming popular. Clark shares that one man has been coming
into the shop twice a week for years like clockwork. He orders three dips of peanut butter ice
cream and walks to the river to sit and enjoy his treat. Even though the location of the Ice Cream
Factory is somewhat out of the way for most people, the trip is obviously worth
the extra time, based on the weekend lines out the door. On Saturday nights during the weekly After
Dinner event, the usual customers cycle through the shop in order to experience
this unique process and get their delicious ice cream. The Ice Cream Factory has created a broad
solid clientele base through the use of details and history, and one that will
likely return throughout the years.
The
notion of vintage style has become very prominent in American culture as of
late. Whether it is fashion or décor,
retro is everywhere. Some say that the
recent recession contributes to this trend.
Recycling old items has a certain charm and makes a statement. Also, vintage style brings a certain feeling
of nostalgia. (Rose and Grey) It imitates a time in which things were simpler
and towns moved slower. Couples would
venture out to take a Sunday afternoon drive.
Kids would go to the ice cream parlor after school to enjoy a
hand-dipped soda float. Along with the
location and specific vintage details and décor, the Ice Cream Factory portrays
all of this.
Full
of citizens from all walks of life, downtown Paducah depicts the true heart of
the city along with the local small-town vibe of the Ice Cream Factory. On a typical, summer Saturday night,
ice-cream lovers are lined out the door and down the sidewalk in order to
experience the rarity of this forgotten phenomenon. Kids and grandparents alike can be spotted
down Broadway with an ice cream cone in hand and a soda jerk hat sporting the
Ice Cream Factory logo. Little faces
peer through the huge bay windows in the front to view the making of the iconic
waffle cones. The crowds enjoy their
tasty treats while listening to the street bands performing. The shop is a perfect fit in the artsy, river
city and embodies the slow, true old-timey fashion of the town. Charming and unique, the Ice Cream Factory
continues to impress customers and keep them coming back.
Works Cited
