Gunther's Ice Cream
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food service |
| Founded | 1940 |
| Founder | Herman “Pop” Gunther and Iva Gunther |
| Headquarters | Sacramento, California , United States |
| Products | Ice cream, fruit freezes |
Gunther's Ice Cream is a longstanding ice cream establishment situated at 2801 Franklin Blvd. in Sacramento, California, having been founded in 1940.
History
The business was launched in 1940 by Herman “Pop” Gunther and his wife, Iva. Gunther's crafts its ice cream on the premises and regularly introduces unique specialty flavors each month. Initially located at the intersection of Franklin Boulevard and 5th Avenue, the store moved to its present location in 1949. The building showcases architectural elements that blend Mid-century modern design with post-World War II influences. Its emblematic mascot, Jugglin' Joe—a soda jerk skillfully tossing an ice cream scoop—is prominently displayed on an animated neon sign above the entrance.
Following the passing of Herman Gunther in 1963 and his son Dick in 1967, Iva Gunther sold the shop to Carl Buchell. Since 1974, ownership has been held by Rick and Marlena Klopp; Rick first joined Gunther's staff in 1969 when he was 22 years old.
In 2010, Gunther's celebrated its 70th year with an event attended by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. The shop earned recognition as California's top ice cream parlor by Business Insider in 2015. The 75th anniversary festivities that year included appearances by Mayor Johnson, Supervisor Phil Serna, Yuba City's Development Services Director Darin Gale, and the Sacramento River Cats' mascot Dinger.
Gunther's was put forward for designation as a historic landmark in 2018.
Menu
The menu at Gunther's features around 50 varieties of ice cream alongside fruit freezes. Signature ice cream selections include Black Raspberry Marble, Strawberry Cheesecake, Swiss Orange Chip, Thai Tea, Lemon Custard, Coconut Pineapple, French Vanilla, Fudge Brownie, and Birthday Cake. Their fruit freezes are available in flavors such as Strawberry Banana, Mango, Raspberry, Lime, and Guava.
Film
Gunther's has been featured in the 2017 movie Lady Bird as well as the 2024 film Sacramento.