Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor
History
The restaurant was founded in 1900 by James, Lewis, and Pete Zaharako, three candymakers from Sparta, Greece, who opened it as a confectionary shop. After visiting the 1904 World's Fair they added ice cream to their offerings. By the early 1910s they had added soda fountains, a mahogany backbar, and a 1908 Welte orchestrion. By the middle of the century there was a self-service area.
The restaurant closed in 2006 when the youngest generation of the Zaharako family weren't interested in continuing to run the business. The orchestrion was sold to a California collector.
In 2007 Tony Moravec, a local businessman, purchased and restored the restaurant, including purchasing the orchestrion from the collector who had bought it, at a total cost of $3.5 million and reopened it in 2009. The family living quarters above the shop were also restored, and Moravec also opened the space next door as a museum of 19th-century soda fountains and mechanical musical instruments. As of 2019 the orchestrion was the only one in the country available for the public to hear play. By 2013 the building had been named to the National Register of Historic Places.
Moravec died in 2022 and his son took over the business.
The restaurant is also known for its Gom Cheese Brr-grr, a type of sloppy joe or loose-meat sandwich with cheese.
The restaurant was used as the primary set for Robert Moniot's short film The Ice Cream Man about Ernst Cahn, a Jewish ice cream parlor owner in Amsterdam whose arrest sparked the February Strike.
References
- ^ Crichton, Ginger (26 May 2021). "A Scoop of Americana in Columbus, Indiana". Midwest Living. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ Hartz, Michael (2020-01-23). "Zaharakos: A Columbus favorite where history and tradition are served daily". WRTV. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ Caruthers, Teree (2015-05-19). "Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor Serves Up Fizzy Business". My Indiana Home. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ Blair, Brian (2022-08-25). "Hollywood producer from Seymour visits Zaharakos for video series". Seymour Tribune. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ Sanderson, Emily (2023-11-17). "This hidden gem in Indiana has an old-school soda fountain and a banjo that plays itself". WLWT. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ Watson, Jenna (7 August 2019). "The butter pecan, hot fudge sundae at Zaharakos will complete your summer". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ "Columbus ice cream parlor ready for its close-up". Indiana Landmarks. 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ Blume, Aimee (4 June 2013). "Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor continues sweet 110-year-old tradition". Courier & Press. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ Jane, Tori (2024-02-10). "The Historic Ice Cream Parlor In Indiana Where You Can Still Experience The Early 20th Century". Only in your state. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ "Business leader and preserver of historic Zaharakos dies". WKKG. 2022-11-10. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
- ^ "Story Of Jewish Resistance Fighter Targeted By The Infamous Butcher Of Lyon Wins Claims Conference Emerging Filmmaker Contest". Claims Conference. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2024-09-08.