Andrew Otto, former Farrell’s store employee
Dear Bob,
I was part of the opening crew (a waiter) for the Farrell’s store in North Riverside, Illinois, in 1975. At the pre-grand opening, Bob Farrell himself came and spoke to us. A bunch of us kids invited Mr. Farrell to sit down with us, and, much to our delight, he did.
We found out that his favorite was a Choffee Soda, that some of the items were named after his daughters and that he loved the Northwest.
Then he told us this crazy story about a regular customer, his regular waitress, someone who filled in, and a “pickle for a nickel.” Bob, that little talk made a big impression on a 17-year old kid.
Thirty years later, I still remember this when I fix a client’s printer for no charge or spend extra time to make sure a user understands the computer system that he has purchased.
I also want you to know that Farrell’s was one of the best jobs I ever had. I met many, many friends. I got my first kiss from a girl, my first taste of real job responsibility and a lifelong love of ice cream. I learned to wait tables, cook short order, deal with cranky people with a smile, and clean sticky tables with soda water. I can still “float a root beer float” much to my family’s delight.
It makes me sad that there are no more Farrell’s around this area. I miss those places. I still have my nametag and the little black tie (is that pathetic or what??).
Thanks again,
Andy Otto
Lisle, IL
