By Morgan Willie
If you’re looking for a sweet treat to beat the heat, Grandpa’s Soda Fountain and Ice Cream Parlor is just the place for you! Located at 208 4th Avenue in downtown Olympia, this little shop gets a lot of well-deserved attention from locals.
When I dropped in at Grandpa’s, Madison Elementary school teacher, Starr Smythe, was helping a few of her students order at the counter. The students had participated in a recess project that saved Smythe some work over the summer, and so she felt a trip to Grandpa’s was a great way to reward them. Why did she choose this particular place? Well, for several reasons. “I love that it is downtown and all the ice creams are really fantastic,” Smythe told me. “There is one here – I guess it’s the Olympic Mountain. It’s a local made ice cream and I found that to be really tasty and wonderful. So, I’m supporting local business and it’s great to get an ice cream and walk down by the water. The whole atmosphere is super fun.”
One of Grandpa’s most appealing characteristics is that the shop is suitable for just about everyone. Employee Sabrina James has seen a wide variety of customers stop by in her time. “We get the little kids who want their small soft serves. You get the older people who come in and maybe they want a little soft serve too, or maybe they want a lot of ice cream because they’re old and they can do whatever they want to. Then, you get the teenagers who are just like, ‘Hey, let’s pig out for a while.’ It’s awesome.”
James’ coworker, Robbie Maiava, gave me the same message when I asked him who the shop appealed to most. “[Grandpa’s] is an oldies kind of thing so that attracts a lot of elderly people. The older age group definitely loves it,” he said. “I hear from so many old people, ‘Oh, this is what it was like when I was twenty.’ But, also teenagers because a lot of the workers are teenagers here, so we branch out.” Maiava later added that he felt Grandpa’s would be perfect for “all age groups,” and that “families love coming here.”
One thing you can be sure of at Grandpa’s is excellent service. The employees enjoy conversing and helping others immensely. Maiava elatedly exclaimed, “I love talking to people. To ask them how their day is going is probably the best. People give me such unique responses like, ‘Yeah, I climbed a mountain today,’ or ‘My car broke down!’”
Coworker Meghan Paynter also commented with, “My favorite thing about working here is the employees. We are all really good friends and we like to have fun. All the employees are super nice and we love to talk to the kids.”
Sabrina James was no outlier to this trend either. She told me, “My favorite part is seeing people smile when they get their ice cream that’s exactly what they wanted. They might say, ‘Oh, it looks really pretty,’ and then I feel good because I made it look nice for them!” As you can tell, Grandpa’s is all about customer service. The workers treat you with the sort of respect you deserve. They are fun-seeking, dedicated teens who love being at the ice cream parlor as much as the patrons do.
So, what are some of the best options on the menu at Grandpa’s? Personally, I think everything is delicious, but I ordered a scoop of Olympic Mountain’s Huckleberry ice cream and boy, was it flavorful. The texture was just right, the hand-made waffle cone was wonderful, and it just made me feel good!
Meghan Paynter delightedly told me, “Olympic Mountain has some really good ice cream. Coconut Almond Fudge is to die for!”
However, there is also an entire case of little bites waiting to be consumed as well. These candies come in a variety of flavors from Double Dark Velvet to Lemon Cream. I highly recommend buying an ice cream to enjoy there and candies to take home with you.
Grandpa’s Soda Fountain and Ice Cream Parlor has a fabulous selection, excellent customer service, and a great atmosphere. Its unique and friendly charm brings smiles to the faces of many people each day.
Grandpa’s Soda Fountain and Ice Cream Parlor
208 4th Ave West
Olympia, WA 98501
360.584.9453
