The Hawthornes talked about opening the shop for about a year, thinking it would be nice to provide something else for families and teen-agers to do in Escondido. The parlor's design was inspired by saloons of the old West, said Hawthorne. The wood furniture, while new, resembles the old West style. There's even a rinky-tink piano in the far corner. Servers are learning to juggle spoons, spin bottles and to flip ice cream into the air and catch it in a glass.
Customers are welcome to play the piano and sing along.
A gymnastics team caught the spirit on a recent visit, doing handstands in front of the counter. We'd like to be a place that the community is proud of. Business was slow for the first few days after the parlor's April 7 opening. Things have picked up since, Hawthorne reports, with overflow crowds on a couple of nights. Along with sundaes, the shop offers eight flavors of ice cream and various fountain creations.