Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream


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Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: cmysli (---.careered.com)
Date: January 20, 2011 05:22PM

Does anyone remember the Golden Bear Restaurant? There was one on the southwest side of Chicago near Ford City Shopping Mall. I believe there is a Pizza Hut there now. I loved that place.

There was another gem across the street: Farrell's Ice-Cream. They used to come out to the table and bang on a big drum when someone had a birthday - talk about embarrassing!

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: Chipast (---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: January 21, 2011 04:29PM

I remember Golden Bear, But not on the SW side. There was one on W.North Av in River Forest & One on Chicago nr Rush in the late 1970's for a short time. I do remember Farrell's on S.Cicero, Was a rather fancy ice cream parlor/restaurant.

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: bowler (---.chipublib.org)
Date: January 21, 2011 06:27PM

Well there's a Golden Bear at 120th and Cicero in Alsip:

http://www.eatatgoldenbear.com/welcome.html

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: bowler (---.chipublib.org)
Date: January 21, 2011 06:39PM

This 1984 article mentions Pizza Hut purchasing the "Golden Bear" chain:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_v18/ai_3403633/

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: cmysli (---.careered.com)
Date: January 21, 2011 08:39PM

I am not sure that this is the same Golden Bear Restaurant. I believe a department store owned the Golden Bear of the 1970's.

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: cmysli (---.careered.com)
Date: January 21, 2011 08:40PM

Thank you for this information article.

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: tomcat630 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 27, 2011 01:08AM

According to the Chain Store history website Pleasant Family Shopping, Golden Bear chain was owned by Mongomery Ward. And was sold to Pizza Hut, who unloaded some sites and converted others to PH.

One near me is now called Sunmist, a family diner. It's on Lake St near Rt 83 in Addison IL.

Maybe the one still called Golden Bear bought the rights to the name?

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: Katrinka1 (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: April 20, 2011 03:13PM

I used to work for a Golden Bear Restaurant from 8/12/70 to 4/15/75 in Springfield, IL. It was located on the corner of 6th & Ash which was the main drag (route 66) coming into Spfld from the south. It was a pancake restaurant chain owned at that time by an 'old' couple. Mamma & Pappa Bear Lorrenzoni? or Laurenzana? something like that who lived in Chicago & would occasionally just drop in on their franchises. I wish it was still here also but have been to other locations in Chgo back in the day. It was a great job and time and good tips. The building still stands but vacant (missing the turning Golden Bear on top holding the plate of pancakes). Miss those 'honey bear cakes'.:)

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: rjmachon (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: January 22, 2014 11:52PM

There was a Golden Bear Restaurant on Clark Street just one block south of Devon Ave. They closed around 1990. A restaurant is there now called The Edge.

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: G. O. Mancer (---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 07, 2014 11:27PM

There was a Golden Bear restaurant in Deerfield, on Lake Cook Road near Waukegan Road. Very popular with all us High School students back in the 1970s.

"It's a honey of a place, where food is fun".

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Re: Golden Bear Restaurant / Farrell's Ice-Cream
Posted by: Cragin Spring (---.dhcp.ftbg.wi.charter.com)
Date: November 03, 2014 10:22PM

A Golden Bear was also located just outside the former Randhurst Mall in Mt. Prospect on the northeast side. Later it became a Pizza Hut. That particular Golden Bear on Wednesday nights had all the pancakes you can eat. Farrell's Ice Cream had a location in Woodfield Mall for many years.

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