When Welcome Parlour opened its doors in North Vancouver a few years ago it was a re-opening of sorts. When Ian Widgery sought to bring his ice cream parlour to the area, he didn’t realize the history the area had. After checking the cities archives he realized North Vancouver’s first ice cream parlour opened there in 1909 with the name Welcome Parlour. This establishment was formed over 100 years ago and it was a neighbourhood place for ice cream, candy, and oddly- cigars. Ian decided to lean into that heritage and bring Welcome Parlour back ice cream and candy in tow But, sorry cigar aficionados, this is a smoke-free environment!
Ian worked in the music industry overseas for two decades. Being a vegetarian, he had a hard time finding food that suited his diet, so he was on a self describe ice cream diet. When he settled down in Vancouver he wanted to bring his newfound ice cream knowledge with him.
Welcome Parlour serves true small-batch ice cream. It’s a 100% natural product, no preservatives, no artificial colours and all local ingredients. This means only 6 litres of each flavour is made per day. Due to the nature of it, there is always a slight variance in flavour and that the menu is constantly changing.
Ian had a vision for the space. He wanted it to be welcoming and hark back to the history of it. He had custom-designed refrigeration, an old-time cash register and wood panelling. When looking for financing he knew Econolease was the perfect fit. He found what he was looking for through different vendors and got it all financed under one roof at Econolease.
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Learn more about Welcome Parlour
