Rainbow Cone Celebrates 100 Years with Community Loyalty and Joy

A line formed outside the pink-painted storefront of Original Rainbow Cone in Beverly on Sunday afternoon. Customers gathered to celebrate 100 years of this cherished establishment. For many, including Beth Roland, the milestone held personal significance. Roland shared that six of her children worked at the shop during their teenage years. Even when two of her sons married, Rainbow Cone owners Joe and Katherine Sapp sent them rainbow cakes. ‘They packed many a cone,’ she reminisced.

Rosemary Smith, now 80, fondly recalled her childhood visits to the shop. ‘Grandpa took us all the time,’ she said, recalling family trips from Bridgeport to Beverly.

The shop celebrated its centennial with balloons, temporary tattoos, and a large ice-cream-shaped cake. The cake featured the iconic Rainbow Cone layers: chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House, and pistachio almond ice creams, topped with orange sherbet. Last month, they also partnered with the Museum of Ice Cream for an exhibit marking the occasion.

Since 1926, Rainbow Cone has been a regional icon, marking summer for many Chicagoans. The unique combination of flavors is crafted with a special slicing scoop. This tool allows for broad, flat layers, maintaining the integrity of the ice cream tower. Over the years, the shop has built a devoted following. Lynn Sapp, granddaughter of the founders Joe and Katherine Sapp, noted the loyalty that has led some fans to get tattoos of the cone. ‘That’s the loyalty this product invokes,’ she said, observing the busy crowd.

In attendance was Alderman Matt O’Shea, who grew up two blocks away. ‘On summer nights, my father used to tell my siblings and me, “If everyone finishes their dinner, we can walk up to Rainbow Cone,”‘ he recalled.

Rainbow Cone has had a significant impact on the Beverly community, O’Shea mentioned, drawing visitors from across Chicago and providing many local teens with their first employment. ‘They’re not just a small business; they’re an institution,’ he stated. Despite many changes, Sapp affirmed, ‘the cone’s never wavered.’ She emphasized the enduring appeal, saying, ‘With all the gimmicks out there, the hundred-year cone is still working.’