Amid all the changes in Westport, ice cream seems pretty constant.
But think about it.
The Ice Cream Parlor is long gone. Georgie Porgie’s lasted just a few years.
Our many frozen yogurt places melted away.
Saugatuck Sweets is being replaced by an “artisinal” ice cream shop. (With prices to match, I’m sure.)
And through it all, Carvel has endured.
It’s been here, in the same simple Post Road location, pretty much since ice cream was invented.
(Photo/Facebook from Bruce Fernie; hat tip Jennifer Izzo)
If you time traveled from the day this photo was taken, in fact, you’d recognize everything except the cars in front.
Sadly too, the very 1950s ice cream cone on top is gone.
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First Arcudi’s square pizza and then over to Carvel, then home! A Saturday standard!
In 1976, my little league team the Rams (our SS was “Toby from The Office”) beat Arcudi’s team in the World Series (he was kind of a hothead) and our coach (my Dad) took us to Arcudi’s to celebrate.
I remember when Tom Carvel did his own radio commercials with his gruff voice but folksy manner. And apparently with great success. He may have started the trend back then for business owners to do their own pitches.
Tom was obviously reading from a script because he would pause at the end of each line before continuing.
In the ‘60’s, Carvel was our go- to after soccer practice. Jack Lillis’ mother picked up four of us – me, Jack, Jerry Keneally and Bill Deegan – and gave us rides home but not before a daily stop at Carvel. My chocolate shake had no effect on my appetite for dinner.
I used to bowl with Bill Deegan. Where is he now? We used to go the ice cream store in that huge shopping center called Westfair Shopping Center. Three ice cream cones for 30 cents, unless you got a double scoop, then it was a little more!
Damn you! Now I want Carvel! 😂
I LOVE Carvel, even if I reserve it for only the occasional indulging treat.
Although my birthday is in mid-winter, it would not be my special day without the Carvel birthday cake!! Long live Fudgy the Whale!! 🍦 I scream for Carvel!!
Back in the 60’s on Sunday our parents would take us to Carvel as a special treat. Whenever I make my annual visit back to Westport I always stop there for some ice cream. Of course back then there wasn’t a Maserati dealership across the street but I love that it is still there (for now).
Whenever I’m in Westport, I never miss a chance to hit Carvel, large vanilla cone w/ chocolate sprinkles. Have gone there since we moved to Westport in 1964, so 60 years now, although I haven’t lived there in a long time. Carvel has almost completely disappeared from Manhattan, a crime against humanity…
When I was a teenager we used to go to the Ice Cream Polar
On a date.
We came all the way from Danbury,
Can even remember I always ordered Buttons and Bows
Also bought candy to take home.
Those were great teenage date nights.
That looks like a 1950 four door Chevrolet in the photo.
I hope Carvel never goes artisanal…
I was an au pair from Denmark in Westport in 1967 and most of 1968. I remember the Ice Cream Parlor. Denmark had and has some great ice cream (both my parents worked for one of the best brands back then), it is creamier than the US version. Back then we had limited flavors, vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, nougat. However, we didn’t have anything as fancy as the Ice Cream Parlor, so I was very impressed when I first went there, and I was blown away by the many flavors, and also ice cream sundae’s, something else we didn’t have in Denmark. I still remember the first sundae I ordered at the Ice Cream Parlor, walnut (could have been black walnut) ice cream with syrup and whipped cream.
My parents just got a 1969 Dodge Charger, and Carvel was the first place I drove it! You had to “pose”.
And now they have dairy free ice cream!! Jimmy and Angela are super folks as well. Nice article. Thank you.
Pat Leonard and I cut through her back yard (and a few others) to Carvel sometimes after school (Long Lots Jr High )
Wait…when I was a kid in the 50s, wasn’t it a Dairy Queen?
Nope, Dairy Queen was and is in Fairfield.
In the 1960s and ’70s Dairy Queen was diagonally across the street, where Little Barn is now.
Wasn’t there a Dairy Queen on the corner of Church Lane and the Post Rd?
Grew up with Carvel,Westport,ct.
Thankful for Dairy Queen,Enfield,Ct.:-)
I remember going to Carvel with my grandmother when I was a kid. She used to go with her kids in the 40’s and 50’s. I still go from time to time now – and they still have great ice cream!
Carvel, Ice Cream Parlor, Dairy Queen, Friendly’s, Baskin-Robbins, Farm Shop…
Haagen-Dazs, all those frozen yogurt places, Saugatuck Sweets …