Popular ice cream shop chooses Bradenton for national franchise debut

A Chicago company known for its ice cream cones is franchising outside of its home state of Illinois for the first time ever with a new location to debut in Bradenton later this month. 

The Original Rainbow Cone has plans to celebrate with a grand opening at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26. The first 50 people there that day will receive a free rainbow cone, which is a five-flavor ice cream cone that features slabs of chocolate, strawberry, pistachio, orange sherbet and palmer house. The palmer house flavor is described as being vanilla with cherries and walnuts.

The location, 4414 53rd Ave. E., is in east Manatee County in a busy Publix-anchored shopping center. 

The Original Rainbow Cone was founded in 1926 by “Grandpa” Joe Sapp and has been kept in the family for three generations. The first out-of-state franchise is owned by Erica and David Campbell, according to a statement.

The menu consists of a selection of ice cream flavors, mini donuts, sundaes, shakes and ice cream cakes. 

“For nearly a century, we have been delighting Chicagoans with our unique flavors, creating a beloved destination that’s become a part of their lives,” Lynn Sapp, third generation owner, says in a release, adding that they aim to establish that same legacy in Florida.