May 31, 2024 • 38 mins
What does it take to keep a family business thriving for generations? Join us as we sit down with Annika and Jon Tunberg from Whitey's Ice Cream, a beloved staple in the Quad Cities community. Jon reminisces about his early days with the company, from picking up trash in the parking lot before school to watching the business grow. Annika shares her insights on the unique dynamics of working with family, the invaluable lessons passed down through generations, and the essential role of cooperation and mutual respect in their success. This episode promises a heartwarming exploration of family bonds and business acumen.
Discover the deep-rooted connection Whitey's Ice Cream has with its local community. We'll share heartfelt stories about local loyalty to favorite flavors and the excitement surrounding seasonal treats. Learn how Whitey's has supported community initiatives like flood relief through their Mississippi Mud flavor and the ways they've integrated with local events such as the John Deere Classic and the Bix. Experience the sense of community pride and generosity that has helped Whitey's remain an integral part of the Quad Cities culture.
Peek behind the curtain to see the creativity and dedication that go into crafting Whitey's unique flavors. From surprising hits like the pineapple upside-down cake shake to unexpected flops like the chipotle chocolate flavor, we discuss the unpredictable nature of flavor popularity. Hear about the commitment to quality, the ingenuity of the staff in accommodating unique customer orders, and the strategic role of social media in maintaining Whitey's nostalgic connection with its fans. This episode is packed with delightful stories and insights that will make you appreciate every scoop of Whitey's Ice Cream even more.
QC, That's Where is a podcast powered by Visit Quad Cities. Through the people, partnerships, and personalities woven throughout the Quad Cities region, you'll meet real Quad Citizens and hear the untold stories of the region.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, we've always said, you know, we wouldn't be
where we are today without theQuad City community.
No, no doubt about it.
So we've always been sofortunate that the Quad Cities
has embraced Whitey's and, youknow, really made us their own.
And so the Quad Citiesobviously holds a very special
place in our hearts and I thinkfrom a personal standpoint, it's
(00:20):
such a great community that wehave so much to offer.
Without, you know, having livedin rather large cities, it's
life's a little little easierhere in a lot of ways.
But also it's there's such asense of community here that I
don't think you get elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Where do you find a family of communities connected
by the storied Mississippi river, where young explorers and
dreamers, investors andentrepreneurs thrive?
Where can you connect with realpeople living and creating in a
place that's as genuine as itis quirky QC?
That's when hey everyone.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
welcome back to the QC that's when podcast.
I'm your host, Lea Nelson, andwe have two very, very special
guests for this week's showProbably the coolest
father-daughter duo I know.
They're from Whitey's, Annikaand Jon Tunberg Guys.
Thank you so much for joiningus this week.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Thank you for having us.
We're excited to talk ice cream.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Honestly, it's the best week ever getting to talk
about ice cream.
My parents want to go toWhitey's all the time.
Everyone loves it.
It's the place we send ourvisitors.
So I'm excited to talk aboutWhitey's, but let's kind of
start with the beginning.
Jon, I'll start with you.
You've been around this icecream shop, whitey's, pretty
much your whole life.
(01:45):
Um, what has it been like, um,getting to work at Whitey's?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
uh, since you can remember, Well, my brother and I
started picking uh trash up inthe parking lot before grade
school, I mean before school inthe morning, and so yes.
I've been a part of it all mylife.
I don't know any other thing.
(02:12):
Oh, what's it?
It's been great.
You know, as I think back backin grade school, a lot of
children didn't know what theirfathers did for a living.
You know whether they worked inthe shops or whether they were
an administrator somewhere.
And yet we always knew what ourfolks did, and so did everybody
else.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Very true.
I was like I don't think I knewwhat my dad did when I was
growing up.
I was told people like, oh,construction.
And he's like, yeah, that's alittle different or a little
more in depth.
But what's it like and eitherof you can answer this one, but
what's it like working in afamily business?
I mean, john, you work withyour brother, Jeff and Annika,
you work with your dad and uncle.
(02:53):
What's the family businessdynamic for the both of you?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
We've been fortunate, Jeff and and I to work with our
parents for a lot of yearsbefore they passed, and we're
very fortunate in the sense thatJeff and I get along very well.
The standard joke is as long ashe does what I say, we're fine.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
But no, we've been fortunate and blessed to be in a
working environment every day,and yet we get along and at the
end of the day, we're stillspeaking and we're still
brothers.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Yeah, and it's.
And Jeff's daughter, Jenny, mycousin, is back in the business
as well, so it's really fun tobe able to all work together and
to get to see you know familyyou love every day.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, I can't imagine what, like how cool that would
be and you've got like your dadand your your boss, basically,
but what, what is?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
it.
I have to remind her that I amevery so often.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
No, I love that.
I was going to say it's likethat kind of goes into.
My next question is how doeshow does that work?
I mean, obviously your dad isyour dad.
He's taught you all theselessons, but what has he taught
you in the business world?
Any anything that you'resticking in your back pocket as
like a boss other than as?
Speaker 1 (04:11):
a dad?
Yeah, no, Well, I mean, he'slistening so we gotta be careful
.
But no, um, you know, I think mybackground was definitely not
so much.
Um, you know, of course I grewup around ice cream, but I
didn't work in ice cream aftercollege and you know, growing up
I I wasn't as involved as theywere, as they were growing up in
(04:32):
the business.
So I'm just coming back andtrying to learn from the ground
up what we do and how we do it.
You know, there are a wealth ofinformation, so very thankful
to have them around and be ableto speak to things that happened
60 years ago, but also fiveyears ago.
So it's very, very helpful inthat regard.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Even in this morning's discussions about
certain aspects of ice cream, Ithink you may have heard a few
things that were new.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yeah, there's always something I'm learning.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
But that's the best part.
You mentioned like you didn'tjump into the family business
right away.
You were in.
You lived in New York, rightChicago.
So what brought you back to theQC or what made you want to,
you know, join in with yourfamily?
Speaker 1 (05:19):
You know, I think being able to be part of a
family business is such a uniqueand special, special
opportunity that, you know, noteverybody is blessed to have.
And so I think, as I got intothe working world and you know
you realize what you like, whatyou don't like, you know, it
just kind of started to, youknow, dawn on me that, you know,
working with family would besuch an amazing opportunity to
(05:42):
have.
And you know, john and Jeffhave done such a wonderful job
building such a brand that's,you know, iconic in the Quad
Cities but also, just, you know,really based on great company
values and it's a familyatmosphere.
And so you start to realize allthose things are really special
.
And so it wasn't an overnightdecision by any means, but it
(06:02):
just kind of slowly, you know,kind of planted the seed of,
slowly, you know, kind ofplanted the seed, and then you
know, eight years later, here weare.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
And so what do the both of you guys love so much
about the QC?
Obviously, you came back andyou know Whitey's has been in
the Quad Cities since thebeginning.
What is it about this communitythat is just so perfect for
this place?
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yeah, Well, we've always said, you know, we
wouldn't be where we are todaywithout the Quad City community.
No, no doubt about it.
So we've always been sofortunate that the Quad Cities
have so much to offer, withoutyou know, having lived in rather
(06:54):
large cities, it's life's alittle little easier here in a
lot of ways, but also it'sthere's such a sense of
community here that I don'tthink you get elsewhere.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
There really is.
I feel like, no matter what,we're connected and and Quad
Cities goes hard.
No, like I mean people loveJohn Deere classic, the Bix
Whitey's like I just posted onour social media a couple days
ago about like the Quad Citystaples and everyone was
commenting Whitey's ice creamlike that's my favorite.
And um earlier, anika, when wehad like our conversation, and
(07:26):
people have their go-to flavorsthat they get every single time
and they hardly switch it up.
I mean I know yours is what achocolate shake you said.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
I do love a chocolate ball.
It's a classic.
But yeah, as far as flavors go,I I move around a little bit,
but pretty much based on season.
So we're in banana gram season,so I'm all in on banana gram
but, you know, we we have noevidence to support this, but we
think that probably 80% ofpeople who come into our stores
never look at the menus.
They just know exactly whatthey want and they've got their
(07:55):
thing and that's what they'regoing to get.
So we have, over the past fewyears, started doing tree to the
months, which I think hasbroadened people's horizons a
little bit, and, you know,trying to do some different fun
promotions and whatnot.
So we have a lot of customerswho come in the first of the
month and say give me the treatof the month, no matter what it
is, they just want to try it.
So I think it's really been funto open up people's options.
(08:16):
But a lot of times they just goback to their old classics,
Cause if you want some comfortfood, you want, you want your,
your, your usual.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Jon, do you have a favorite?
Can you even pick?
Is that like picking yourfavorite child?
Speaker 4 (08:34):
My pick Is that like picking your favorite child.
My kids are tired of hearingthis story.
But I say I don't limit myselfto a favorite.
But if I'm in the store with aspoon in my hand, mississippi
Mud Rebel could be in trouble.
But I move around too.
I make stuff that's never goingto be on the menu and things
like that.
But I agree with Annika whenshe said you know, most people
just come in and order the samething.
(08:56):
Last year when we had our 90thanniversary celebration and we
were selling cones for 90 centsa dip, I had a number of people
say you know, they were so cheap.
It gave me an opportunity totry something else In case I
didn't like it.
I wasn't losing.
So much.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
That's so true.
Which, um, my dad mentioned, um, that's a fun flavor with a lot
of quad city history involvedin it.
So, um, I wasn't around, butthey created the flavor in 1993
when we had the great flood, um,in the Mississippi, and so all
proceeds at that time went tothe American red cross for flood
relief efforts.
And so, I think at that time,where you guys donated $5,000,
(09:36):
which you know back then alittle bit different in 93.
And then in 2019, when we hadthe flood again, we Mississippi
muds stayed a constant, likeit's a popular flavor.
It's never gone anywhere, butfor, I think, about a month we
did all proceeds, all proceedsagain, we're going to flood
relief efforts and we're able toraise 47,000 that time.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
So it just shows how much the Quad Cities cares about
their community and is willingto rally behind something as a
matter of fact, the first timewe did that we actually had more
than one person, but I remembera little old lady came into the
store and said I don't want theice, but can you make sure this
dollar gets to the Red Cross?
And that's what makes the QuadCities a great place to live too
(10:17):
.
It's a giving community and acaring community, and we love it
.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
It's pretty incredible and you guys love our
community and you love givingback.
I mean, you've got the JohnDeere Classic ice cream John
Deere ice cream, which is prettyI just saw your post on social
media about that and then alsowith the Bix, you guys, um, have
all those popsicles for therunners, Um, has that always
been something you've wanted todo, Like give back to our
community, be a part of ourcommunity, or is it just
(10:44):
opportunities arise?
Speaker 1 (10:45):
You know, I think, what was that?
My grandma always said um, ifyou don't take care of the
community, they're not going totake care of you.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
So, and that's always been a staple for us, yeah, I
mean we, we make our living hereand we feel like we need to
give back with something wealways learn from our parents.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
And as to the Bix.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
I don't know how long we've been involved, but the
first year I set it up it wasjust us Pepsi and oranges.
That was it, yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
I mean, we've been involved with the Bix for a long
, long time.
I can't even fathom how manypopsicles we've given away over
the years they're makingpopsicles as we speak to start
prepping to give away at the Bix.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Well, yeah, I was going to say you've got to get
ready, because it's the 50thanniversary.
It's going to be a big party.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
I think we probably give away more popsicles than we
sell on a yearly basis, but forparades or whatever the case
may be.
But yeah, and then I know youmentioned the John Deere Classic
as well.
We don't know exactly how longwe've been involved, but I think
we were one or two years offfrom the beginning.
I think we when, when they werecelebrating their 50th
anniversary, we went back andtried to, you know, figure out
(11:56):
how long we've been around theretoo and we.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
We weren't involved when it was at crow valley, but
when it went to oakwood westarted, we started so yeah,
it's been a long long time I'mgonna need to try that flavor.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
what, what exactly is it?
Not just John Deere?
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Yeah, it doesn't taste like tractors.
No, it's lemon custard mixedwith lime sherbet, so it's a
very refreshing flavor.
It's grown in popularity everysingle year.
It's just people keep askingwhen it's coming back.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
It tastes like a frozen Sprite.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Yeah, and I love Sprite, that's perfect.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Well, Annika will let you in on next month's Treat of
the Month secret.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
What, yeah, like is this okay?
Well, when are we airing this?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
I guess, Sorry if I have to edit.
Put it out Our Treat of theMonth is going to be a John
Deere Classic float, in in otherwords a Sprite float with a dip
of John Deere classic in ityeah, double right, yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
So it'll be great.
And then we're going to bedonating um a little bit off of
the sales of those to thebirdies fun that's incredible.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Again, here you guys go giving back to the community.
It's amazing, it's it'sincredible, what goes kind of
how did you guys create the JohnDeere ice cream?
What was the conversations like?
What were the ideas like, whatwere the flavors that you guys
threw out that didn't work, orhow?
Speaker 1 (13:21):
did.
How did it come?
Speaker 3 (13:22):
to be.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
You know we talked about it for their 50th
anniversary, of course, and itI'd love to say there was like a
huge research process.
But you know we knew we kind ofwanted it to be yellow and
green.
You know pretty classic colorsfor john deere and so obviously
the the good answers on that arelemon and lime.
Um, so we worked with the johndeere classic team and, um, they
(13:46):
came up and were able to be uphere when we were making the
first batch of it and it wasreally, really fun I think I
would.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
I'm sorry, and it was kind that John Deere, let us
call it that john deer thecompany deer and company,
because you know they need toprotect stuff.
But they tasted it and agreedthat they liked it too.
We did have to make someadjustments.
I mean, it's not just throwlemon, custard and lime together
, because the textures aredifferent.
We had to do some experimentingand adjusting and it's all
(14:13):
worked out well yeah, I thinkeveryone always asks.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
You know, they think we have this crazy lab up here
where we create new flavors anddo all these experimenting.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
But there's the lab yeah, it's, it's not.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Um, you know, we kind of we always say that, or they
always say they make it how theylike to eat it.
So, um, you know, we kind of wealways say that, or they always
say they make it how they liketo eat it.
So, um, you know, we find theways that are going to work for
for us, um, things that we'reable to do, but a lot of times
we get ideas from employees.
You know, finding what othercompanies are traveling our
travels work for um, and then wekind of experiment.
(14:48):
But there's no major process orprogram for new flavors or
experimenting.
It's just kind of a what?
But there's no major process orprogram for new flavors or
experimenting.
It's just kind of a what wefeel will work best.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
So have you ever created a flavor and it just was
not a hit in the stores?
Yes, many one.
I just can't imagine any likeice cream not tasting great with
a lot of different things.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You know a couple that come to mind over the last
year.
Well, the one big one that wasmore of a flop was Chipotle
chocolate, so it was like spicychocolate.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Oh, I was like what?
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It was fun, it was novel, but it didn't go over
super well you know, there'salways some people who love it,
but you never know.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
I mean, one year years ago, long before Annika
came back, we decided to have 10new flavors and that's a lot,
because you've got to takeflavors out of the store too and
we ended up with nine, and Iwas trying to come up with
something for the 10th and wethrew something together I don't
even remember what it was andthat became the most popular of
the 10 flavors it's notscientific, based on the Quad
(15:54):
City taste buds.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I mean, I know a lot of people love the lemon bar,
lemon bar shake.
And it's going to be like itwasn't a main item on the menu
or whatnot, and then all of asudden, it's around.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Yeah, we find that a lot with tree to the months.
Like you know, we can kind ofguess what might be more popular
than others, but then out ofthe blue one will just surprise
us.
One last year that we were like, oh, this is not going to be
our biggest one was pineappleupside down cake shakes and it
was our biggest tree of themonth last year.
You just never know you reallydon't.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
And it's funny because we put like I mean, I go
to Whitey's quite a bit I grewup in the Quad Cities and we
have like a question of the dayand we wrote like what's your
go-to Whitey's order?
And the amount of differentorders that our whole staff.
It was crazy and I was justlike because, again, like I go
with my go-to a moose trackshake, sometimes a strawberry
banana shake, but just the youcan't argue with either one of
(16:50):
those amazing.
It's just like the uniquedifferences, or when people go
and like my favorites, or whenthey go to the store and they
like add in all these crazyflavors, and somehow it works,
and then that's their order.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Since they were little, I'm like I don't know
how you got to that point butcongratulations now your staff
is truly amazing, like thethings that people come in and
they'll be like a push of that,a scoop of this, like half it's
just you know they they are veryum go with the flow on what
people request and they'rereally wonderful at being able
to to make it work sometimesthey add so much stuff there's
(17:23):
no room for ice cream it's justtoppings and you guys have,
which isn't bad either, becausewho wouldn't love a, you know,
like a whole cup of oreos orsnickers, or with some whipped
cream on top right, or even yourslushies are incredible.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
I love your cherry slush with vanilla ice cream.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Oh, and I wish you know we back to how we we don't
always make things easy onourselves.
We, um, we make all of ourslush ourselves.
You know it's not like astore-bought situation and as
far as our toppings go, we umhave a woman who works for us
that all day long she just makesthe toppings.
You know you can buy them, butwe like how we do them better.
(18:02):
So you know we have we gothrough a lot of great, great
lengths to make sure that peopleare receiving the best product
we can put out there, which isamazing.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
I mean it matches with your values and and every
time we walk into a Whitey store, I mean we have just the best
experience, and I know you guysprobably train your employees to
be to be bright smiles whenpeople walk in.
I mean I probably know theanswer to this, but are you guys
do?
Are you guys trained behind thecounter like would you hop in
and help out if it's, if it'sbusy?
Speaker 1 (18:32):
yeah well I was there two weekends ago.
Yeah, you know, um, we, wedefinitely do.
It's um, it's all hands on decksome weekends.
So, uh, we, we definitely.
And it it's fun to be able towork in the stores and to
interact with customers, seewhat people are ordering, how
they're ordering it, you know,get to know employees a little
(18:54):
bit better, and so, and I get- alot of grief when I'm behind
the counter.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
You know what's the old man still working for and
all that stuff.
But we, we still do it all.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
You guys really do it , Annika.
You wear a lot of hats I meannot to like spill the secret but
you're the hand behind thesocial media.
If anyone was wondering, likeshe, when you look at whitey
social media, she's the onethat's holding all, all of the
shakes and the cups and thecones and the red nails she
wants, yeah she wants us to payfor her nail polish.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Now it's a business expense I have to agree with her
, I think I I'm pretty sure leahsaid that that should be a
company, a company payment.
Now it, um, it's something thatI just personally have red
nails a lot and you know I wasthe one taking pictures and
there they were and it's turnedinto something I was not
expecting.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
We'll put it that way it offsets all the black she
wears every other day.
But it's funny how peoplecomment on those red nails.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
It's like it's a staple, it's like part of your
brand now.
Speaker 4 (19:59):
It's like the red nails are that's what I'm
expecting.
Good thing, our colors are redand white.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Yeah, it'd be a little bit different if we were.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Green and white.
Yeah, our colors wereoriginally green and white.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
What was why change?
I mean, I love green, it wasbefore I was born.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Yeah, we have pictures of it being green and
white.
To be honest, we don't knowwhen it changed exactly and
nobody really knows the reason.
It's just going to be one ofthose things that goes down in
Whitey's folklore, no rhyme orreason.
But we used to be.
It was kind of a darker greenand white.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
So yeah, the trivia question.
You know Whitey's first colors,but I think it's.
I think it's cool that you haveyour hand Well, not just your
hand.
Like your marketing, you do thesocial media and as someone
who's also in social media, Iknow you probably talked to a
lot of students in classes.
And what advice do you have forhelping out such a strong brand
(20:54):
or running a social media thathas such a big following?
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Yeah, you know I think we probably go against the
norm a little bit.
I know, when I was in socialmedia classes back in the day,
they, you know, used to alwaysbe like respond to every comment
.
You know, do this, do that.
And you know we're kind of Ithink we're unique in a way of
how we still operate our storesand kind of you know a little
(21:19):
bit more of a traditional sense,like a little old fashioned, as
people call it, and so from asocial media perspective, we
kind of I do the same.
You know we don't.
We don't respond to everycomment, we don't do certain
things.
You know we're not runningdeals all the time or whatnot,
but it's really been fun to seehow much people care and love
the brand and on social media,you know, and it's just the
(21:42):
littlest things, you know wedon't post a ton, but when we do
, you know it's always, it'salways so endearing to see all
the people saying I miss.
Whitey's come to Japan, come toyou know wherever.
That was just one that poppedup yesterday, so it's top of
mind, phoenix, phoenix orwhatever the case is, and you
know so, our social media hasbeen fun.
(22:03):
When I came back we just didn'tneed it necessarily, and so
it's been really a fun projectto develop it.
I think they posted maybe twicea year before I came back.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Our controller used to post a couple of items.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
It was like pumpkins back and closed on Christmas,
and so it's really been fun tocreate this whole Following yeah
yeah, it really is, and it's aneasy way to talk to your fans.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
I mean I went to Iowa State and I would have, like my
parents or like friends,parents, grab our whitey shakes,
put it in dry ice and thenbring them up to Iowa State and
we would have them.
And it was like the bestweekend ever because we just
craved it so much.
Like Whitey's is a staple.
I got I played softball, Iwould say as well and we got our
(22:50):
whole softball team Whitey's umice cream from like Hy-Vee and
we were like after practice wewere like we have to try this,
like all the QC girls were likeyou have to try this, you have
to try this.
So we got, I think, classic,just vanilla and then moose
tracks, chocolate chip cookiedough and then it might've been
like Mississippi mud maybe.
And oh my gosh, the girls andthe coaches were obsessed and
(23:13):
thank you for spreading it.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
I went to Iowa state too, so that is near and dear to
me.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
We know that road.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
It is fun, you know, especially seeing on social
media.
We always talk about it with weFedEx ice cream across the
country.
So it's a service that we areable to offer.
It's not a cheap service, I'llbe the first to admit it.
But you know we're shipping ahazardous material with dry ice,
so it gets a little bit spendy.
But you know, love seeingpeople post on social media,
like them opening their box ofwhiteys that arrived in Florida
(23:46):
or whatever the case is, andit's it's.
You know we we'd love to bringthat joy to people.
So it's pretty awesome.
So, yeah, we, we we package alot of coolers, especially
around holiday weekends andwhatnot.
The, our two stores that do dryice, our 41st street store in
Moline and our 53rd Street storein Davenport.
They just, they're ready for it.
(24:08):
They got, they're ready to packa lot of coolers traveling to
wherever, wherever they're going.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Yeah, I can't.
I mean like I can imagine howmany places and people want
Whitey's in their area.
Would you ever expand outsidethe Quad Cities, the Midwest or
is this your?
Is this your home?
Is this where you're staying?
You ask?
Speaker 1 (24:31):
a good question.
This is our home.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
This is where we're staying.
We're not opposed to expansion,but you have to have the right
amount of help and the good help, and because we, you know
there's the whitey way and howwe do things here and we don't
want to change that.
We really don't.
(24:53):
Our folks used to say you takecare of your reputation and the
rest will take care of itself.
So, um, that's what we've triedto do all these years is
maintain our reputation and notdo anything to mess it up.
Even if you hire some youngpunk that runs social media, you
know we have to put a lid onher occasionally.
(25:14):
No, she's done a great job withit and, um, that's just
bolstered another form ofreputation building.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Really whether it be for ice cream or red fingernails
, I don't know well.
And I think you know um, we getasked about the expansion
aspect a lot and um, right nowwe're we're happy with what you
know we're maintaining and happywith where we're at.
But I think that you know it'salways said to the Quad Cities
takes a lot of ownership overWhitey's and we have people tell
(25:42):
us all the time that oh, wehope you guys don't expand out
of the Quad Cities because thenit's not ours.
You know, I think there's a lotof pride in it and so that goes
along with.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
You know people always ordering the same thing,
or our reputation.
We say the Quad Cities istaking ownership in our stores
because if they ever come andtell us a story like you may,
you'd say my store is the one inBettendorf.
And so they've always referredto it as my store.
Well, it means because theyalways go to the same store, but
(26:12):
also underlying gives us thatwarmth and uh fuzzy feeling that
you know they take ownership inwhitey's
Speaker 3 (26:20):
yeah, I, I mean, I definitely do.
I say my store and it's the onein bettendorf and which is
hilarious.
You killed that and so andagain, like one of my favorite
things is when I have my friendsvisit from college or from out
of town, it's like that's one ofthe first things we do is we
take them to Whitey's becausethat's like you know, qc is
(26:42):
known for this awesome ice creamand such a great brand and
you're going to have such agreat experience when you go in.
And so selfishly, I'm kind oflike, keep it the Midwest and in
the QC, but at the same timeit's like I want everyone to be
able to experience Whitey's,because and that's true because
sometimes we feel we don't evenhave any Quad City customers
unless they've got company intown.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
You know, these are my friends from Kentucky.
We had to come here, but we dohere so often, you know.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
I got off the plane and I went to Whitey's before I
went home.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
It's like well, thank you, but see your family.
You know, this time of the yearit fits because years ago we
had a guy come in the store akid.
He said I'm just coming homefrom college, so if I'm back
here tonight with my parents,don't tell him.
I was in here already.
So he stopped by for a cone ora shake before he went home you
have, you have priorities right,yeah well, that was always when
I was in college.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
It was like the first thing when I came home we got
to go to whitey's and I didn'tcare if we went every day for
the next week, like that wasjust on our.
It was important.
And again, it's one of myfavorite things when people are
like you're from, you're fromthe Quad Cities, oh, whitey's.
We literally just had um, agroup here from Illinois and we
were like, oh, are you leaving?
Are you leaving town thisafternoon?
(27:58):
They're like, yeah, but we'regonna make a quick, quick stop
at Whitey's and I'm making myhusband drive because so then I
can eat my shake on the way home.
It's the way to go it'sliterally perfect you used to
always get cones.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
when we were driving and he said well, you can't eat
a shake while you're driving,you can get a cone down.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
I just did last week.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
You drove with a shake on the way home, or you
drove with a cone.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
A shake.
Oh, that's good, we weredriving on the highway out west
always, and we brought someshakes that were frozen for
after lunch.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
you know, it's literally perfect.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
But it is when you're driving.
A cone is easier.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Are you guys a waffle cone, cake cone?
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Oh, I got sugar.
A waffle cone is a lot.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
It is, I'm a cake cone.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Yeah, yeah, you know it's funny.
I think that everyone's alwayslike well, don't you guys just
eat it all the time and it'slike, you know, more often than
not there's ice cream up in ouroffice in the freezer that we
need to test or try.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Had some this morning .
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Yeah, Sherberts were on the list this morning, so you
know there's always ice creamaround.
So then sometimes you're like,oh, I don't need to get my
banana gram, but then it'simpossible not to.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I was going to say what a fun gig eating ice cream
breakfast, lunch and dinner,trying new flavors.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
It's good for you we do always have a long list of
volunteers to be taste testersyeah, sign, sign me up.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
If you guys ever have a new flavor, I'll just I'll
give it to you straight.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
It's probably always going to be good to me we'll let
you know if we're ever going tochange how we make moose tracks
oh, please, I just, I love itso much, never change I know
moose tracks is one of thosefunny ones.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
It's, you know, it's obviously a big seller but it's,
you know, a people pleaserthrough and through.
But you know there's alwaysother crazy things that people
are talking about, you know,whether it be a well.
One of them right now is ourpeanut butter Oreo fudge, which
won the retro flavor madness isjust we can't keep it in stock.
But then you have your classicsthat we know are always.
(29:56):
You know your mint chocolatechip, your Graham central
station moose tracks.
That are just classics, thatwe're not gonna.
We're not gonna mess with those.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
And now I'm like, all right, I'm trying to figure out
my schedule at the end of theday, like, can I go grab whiteys
on my way home from work at myice?
Speaker 1 (30:12):
cream too much.
You're talking about ice creamtoo much.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
I need to eat some.
You know, it's funny, Annika,when, when we had our meeting
together with the rest of thebrand crew a month or so ago, um
, I get a text that night and itwas Katrina and Lindsey and
they both went to the Whiteysthat night and they both got the
lemon bar shake after we weretalking.
Did they and did they like it?
Oh, katrina was like this isthe best thing I've ever had
Bunch of emojis.
(30:35):
She was so excited and it wasjust.
It was funny, because it's likeyou talk about whiteys and it's
now I'm going to have to go.
Now you have to go and honestlyI might just have to sign up
for the Bix just so I can getsome popsicles at the end as
well.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
We can make an arrangement for you, yeah well,
our popsicles are.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
you know we, they're in our stores.
We have four different flavors.
We have a root beer, blueraspberry, our cherry and orange
, and you know not that we'rebiased or anything, but our
popsicles are probably the bestpopsicles out there.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
There are plenty of flavor.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Yeah, yeah, I was going to say they're so good I
can taste it on my mouth rightnow because of how many times
I've eaten them.
I think when I was growing up,we had them in in middle school
and parents would bring them infor treats, and it was.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
I need to fire Annika and hire you as our social
media never I don't have rednails that feelings you're
coming out with just popsicles.
No.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
Annika does a great job again.
Like we love the social media,it's so funny.
And when, seriously when wefound out that you were behind
all the pictures, pictures andthe and the March madness of the
favorite flavor, and amazing,as a social media person, I'm
like, oh, what can I learn fromher today?
Oh, my gosh, you're so sweet.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
She is pretty good.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
We have fun with it and it's a.
It's a big joke up here withour general manager, because you
know, when I post something Ihave to make sure everyone's
okay with it, because as soon asit's posted, it's it's
something's gonna happen, sothey have to have enough on hand
.
Yeah, so it's actually Ilearned my lesson the hard way
with that, so there's a lot oftrial and error.
I'd be like, oh, it sounds likea fun day to post moose tracks.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
And then I was like, oh, we gotta make it, that's
funny because you don't eventhink about that, whereas, like,
like, if you posted somethingyou know people are going to see
it.
They're probably going to comeinto the store if they like,
want that flavor.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
And if you don't have it.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Yeah, no, it definitely.
I've made a few mistakes inthat route.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
We've actually ordered more Sprite base, so we
have enough Sprite on hand fornext month's Treat of the Month,
smart.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
You have to think those things out sometimes.
Treat of the month especiallygot more challenging during
COVID when there was a lot ofsupply chain issues because we
really had to get creative withwhat we were actually able to
get in in a short amount of time.
You know we couldn't just do anOreo shake because Oreos were.
There was a backlog on Oreosfor a long time.
So you know, it was just kindof maintaining what we could at
best and then just figuring outwhat we could do for a treat of
the month from there.
So it's a little bit easier nowthat things have normalized in
(33:02):
the supply chain world.
But we still have to think itthrough before anything gets
posted, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
So do you guys have one last question Do you have a
favorite like treat of the monththat you have posted, or like
put out there and it's just likeyour go-to flavor?
Now I know you have yourchocolate mall and your
mississippi mud, but what abouta flavor of the month?
Speaker 1 (33:24):
no, I can't say now I have to like look back at the
list of what we've done.
Now there's been so many um,you know, there's some that are
just basics, that we well, wedid um did what's your favorite
Chocolate banana butterfingershake, yum.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Try it.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
That sounds so good, chocolate banana shake is very
refreshing, and if you eitherput Reese's peanut butter cup or
butterfinger in with it itworks.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Yum, we did that as a true to the month, I think this
year Again, my brain losestrack of when we did that as a
true to the month.
I think this year again, my nolast fall, my brain loses track
of when we did what, but youknow if you get certain flavors
like coconut or banana um.
Speaker 4 (34:02):
Some people say, no, I had no interest in it, you
know so certain things like thatcan be risky.
Not any big risk, but um thereare people that really have the
anti-taste on certain things.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
You know, one funny one that I always think about is
we did a Rocky Road shake lastyear and we're like, oh, this
one's going to go big.
People always ask us to do aRocky Road flavor and I don't
know if it's the nut aspect orthe marshmallow aspect, but it
just fell flat Like it's one ofthose.
You just you never know.
I tried it and it went fast.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Right right, it's one of those.
You just you never know.
I tried it fast, right right?
Um, you guys had a flavor ofthe month, I think, but now I
feel like I get it all the time.
It was the um almond joyish onewith, like the oh yeah, coconut
joy, oh yeah that one is sogood that's a great flavor.
Speaker 4 (34:50):
Well, he had the funny story about that one, the
naming of that well, we calledit almond joy, but we put an e
on the end of the almond and wegot a call from the candy
manufacturer saying you can't dothat.
Years ago that wouldn't matter,but you know we're small.
But now our flavors are on theweb, so now we get the calls.
(35:11):
So we just changed it tococonut joy and sales doubled
because almond scares peoplereally.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
No chocolate covered almonds in it and coconut now
and it goes yeah hey, that's aflavor that is such a good
flavor and I love that storybecause, like I can see some
people like I I wouldn't sayalmond joy is like everyone's
favorite candy bar but, you takethat name out of the the shake
name and suddenly it's a wholedifferent flavor I know each.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
I feel like it's at this point.
Each flavor has a funny littlestory about it somewhere along
the line so, yeah, they, there'salways, um, you know, a funny
little little something witheach one, especially the flavors
that have been around for along time.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
There's so much history in in whiteys and it's
just fun to kind of like uncoverthe.
I guess like peel back theonion and find out everything.
Speaker 4 (36:10):
I wish we would have taken notes on a daily basis.
We could have written a book.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
Hey, you still could because, like, even just this,
these 40 minutes, you guys havetold me so many incredible
stories I would have never evenrealized, or I literally can't
wait to tell the staff.
Like, did you know the firstcolor of whiteys was actually
green?
Speaker 1 (36:28):
No, you guys didn't.
That is like a fun triviaquestion.
Speaker 4 (36:33):
Nobody's around to say that I'm a liar anymore.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
You could come up with a lot.
You wish we had the answers tothat.
Unfortunately, no one's left toask, but we'll just come up
with fun stories to tell alongthe way.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
Keep the legacy going and just Whitey's is such a QC
staple and we thank seriouslyVisit Quad Cities and our
community thanks you guys forbeing just incredible, such a
staple.
We love the white, we lovewhiteys, we love you guys.
Speaker 4 (37:02):
It's been so fun um we thank you guys for promoting
the Quad Cities well, of course,of course we'll do that.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
And it's again it's always easy to promote ice
creams but everybody loves ityeah, it's so true.
Um, we always finish ourpodcast with the qc that's where
statement.
So I gave you guys some time tothink um, so finish this
sentence, qc, that's where youget great ice cream.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
Oh, that's terrible.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Do you have a better option?
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Home.
That's where it's home.
I love it.
It was perfect.
You guys are rock stars.
Seriously, thank you Takingtime out of your super, super
busy schedule um to chat with me.
Tell me some really fun stories.
I really appreciate it.
Um, you guys rock.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Having us.
Yeah, thank you, you guys rock.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Thank you so much Thanks for listening to QC.
That's where a podcast poweredby visit quad cities text visit
QC to three, eight, three, one,four for insider events,
activities and updates sentstraight to your phone.
That's V, I, s, I T, qc.
One word to three, eight, three, one, four.
(38:18):
Message and data rates mayapply.
Well, we've always said, you know, we wouldn't be
where we are today without theQuad City community.
No, no doubt about it.
So we've always been sofortunate that the Quad Cities
has embraced Whitey's and, youknow, really made us their own.
And so the Quad Citiesobviously holds a very special
place in our hearts and I thinkfrom a personal standpoint, it's
(00:20):
such a great community that wehave so much to offer.
Without, you know, having livedin rather large cities, it's
life's a little little easierhere in a lot of ways.
But also it's there's such asense of community here that I
don't think you get elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Where do you find a family of communities connected
by the storied Mississippi river, where young explorers and
dreamers, investors andentrepreneurs thrive?
Where can you connect with realpeople living and creating in a
place that's as genuine as itis quirky QC?
That's when hey everyone.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
welcome back to the QC that's when podcast.
I'm your host, Lea Nelson, andwe have two very, very special
guests for this week's showProbably the coolest
father-daughter duo I know.
They're from Whitey's, Annikaand Jon Tunberg Guys.
Thank you so much for joiningus this week.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Thank you for having us.
We're excited to talk ice cream.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Honestly, it's the best week ever getting to talk
about ice cream.
My parents want to go toWhitey's all the time.
Everyone loves it.
It's the place we send ourvisitors.
So I'm excited to talk aboutWhitey's, but let's kind of
start with the beginning.
Jon, I'll start with you.
You've been around this icecream shop, whitey's, pretty
much your whole life.
(01:45):
Um, what has it been like, um,getting to work at Whitey's?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
uh, since you can remember, Well, my brother and I
started picking uh trash up inthe parking lot before grade
school, I mean before school inthe morning, and so yes.
I've been a part of it all mylife.
I don't know any other thing.
(02:12):
Oh, what's it?
It's been great.
You know, as I think back backin grade school, a lot of
children didn't know what theirfathers did for a living.
You know whether they worked inthe shops or whether they were
an administrator somewhere.
And yet we always knew what ourfolks did, and so did everybody
else.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Very true.
I was like I don't think I knewwhat my dad did when I was
growing up.
I was told people like, oh,construction.
And he's like, yeah, that's alittle different or a little
more in depth.
But what's it like and eitherof you can answer this one, but
what's it like working in afamily business?
I mean, john, you work withyour brother, Jeff and Annika,
you work with your dad and uncle.
(02:53):
What's the family businessdynamic for the both of you?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
We've been fortunate, Jeff and and I to work with our
parents for a lot of yearsbefore they passed, and we're
very fortunate in the sense thatJeff and I get along very well.
The standard joke is as long ashe does what I say, we're fine.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
But no, we've been fortunate and blessed to be in a
working environment every day,and yet we get along and at the
end of the day, we're stillspeaking and we're still
brothers.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Yeah, and it's.
And Jeff's daughter, Jenny, mycousin, is back in the business
as well, so it's really fun tobe able to all work together and
to get to see you know familyyou love every day.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, I can't imagine what, like how cool that would
be and you've got like your dadand your your boss, basically,
but what, what is?
Speaker 4 (03:50):
it.
I have to remind her that I amevery so often.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
No, I love that.
I was going to say it's likethat kind of goes into.
My next question is how doeshow does that work?
I mean, obviously your dad isyour dad.
He's taught you all theselessons, but what has he taught
you in the business world?
Any anything that you'resticking in your back pocket as
like a boss other than as?
Speaker 1 (04:11):
a dad?
Yeah, no, Well, I mean, he'slistening so we gotta be careful
.
But no, um, you know, I think mybackground was definitely not
so much.
Um, you know, of course I grewup around ice cream, but I
didn't work in ice cream aftercollege and you know, growing up
I I wasn't as involved as theywere, as they were growing up in
(04:32):
the business.
So I'm just coming back andtrying to learn from the ground
up what we do and how we do it.
You know, there are a wealth ofinformation, so very thankful
to have them around and be ableto speak to things that happened
60 years ago, but also fiveyears ago.
So it's very, very helpful inthat regard.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Even in this morning's discussions about
certain aspects of ice cream, Ithink you may have heard a few
things that were new.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yeah, there's always something I'm learning.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
But that's the best part.
You mentioned like you didn'tjump into the family business
right away.
You were in.
You lived in New York, rightChicago.
So what brought you back to theQC or what made you want to,
you know, join in with yourfamily?
Speaker 1 (05:19):
You know, I think being able to be part of a
family business is such a uniqueand special, special
opportunity that, you know, noteverybody is blessed to have.
And so I think, as I got intothe working world and you know
you realize what you like, whatyou don't like, you know, it
just kind of started to, youknow, dawn on me that, you know,
working with family would besuch an amazing opportunity to
(05:42):
have.
And you know, john and Jeffhave done such a wonderful job
building such a brand that's,you know, iconic in the Quad
Cities but also, just, you know,really based on great company
values and it's a familyatmosphere.
And so you start to realize allthose things are really special
.
And so it wasn't an overnightdecision by any means, but it
(06:02):
just kind of slowly, you know,kind of planted the seed of,
slowly, you know, kind ofplanted the seed, and then you
know, eight years later, here weare.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
And so what do the both of you guys love so much
about the QC?
Obviously, you came back andyou know Whitey's has been in
the Quad Cities since thebeginning.
What is it about this communitythat is just so perfect for
this place?
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Yeah, Well, we've always said, you know, we
wouldn't be where we are todaywithout the Quad City community.
No, no doubt about it.
So we've always been sofortunate that the Quad Cities
have so much to offer, withoutyou know, having lived in rather
(06:54):
large cities, it's life's alittle little easier here in a
lot of ways, but also it'sthere's such a sense of
community here that I don'tthink you get elsewhere.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
There really is.
I feel like, no matter what,we're connected and and Quad
Cities goes hard.
No, like I mean people loveJohn Deere classic, the Bix
Whitey's like I just posted onour social media a couple days
ago about like the Quad Citystaples and everyone was
commenting Whitey's ice creamlike that's my favorite.
And um earlier, anika, when wehad like our conversation, and
(07:26):
people have their go-to flavorsthat they get every single time
and they hardly switch it up.
I mean I know yours is what achocolate shake you said.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
I do love a chocolate ball.
It's a classic.
But yeah, as far as flavors go,I I move around a little bit,
but pretty much based on season.
So we're in banana gram season,so I'm all in on banana gram
but, you know, we we have noevidence to support this, but we
think that probably 80% ofpeople who come into our stores
never look at the menus.
They just know exactly whatthey want and they've got their
(07:55):
thing and that's what they'regoing to get.
So we have, over the past fewyears, started doing tree to the
months, which I think hasbroadened people's horizons a
little bit, and, you know,trying to do some different fun
promotions and whatnot.
So we have a lot of customerswho come in the first of the
month and say give me the treatof the month, no matter what it
is, they just want to try it.
So I think it's really been funto open up people's options.
(08:16):
But a lot of times they just goback to their old classics,
Cause if you want some comfortfood, you want, you want your,
your, your usual.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Jon, do you have a favorite?
Can you even pick?
Is that like picking yourfavorite child?
Speaker 4 (08:34):
My pick Is that like picking your favorite child.
My kids are tired of hearingthis story.
But I say I don't limit myselfto a favorite.
But if I'm in the store with aspoon in my hand, mississippi
Mud Rebel could be in trouble.
But I move around too.
I make stuff that's never goingto be on the menu and things
like that.
But I agree with Annika whenshe said you know, most people
just come in and order the samething.
(08:56):
Last year when we had our 90thanniversary celebration and we
were selling cones for 90 centsa dip, I had a number of people
say you know, they were so cheap.
It gave me an opportunity totry something else In case I
didn't like it.
I wasn't losing.
So much.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
That's so true.
Which, um, my dad mentioned, um, that's a fun flavor with a lot
of quad city history involvedin it.
So, um, I wasn't around, butthey created the flavor in 1993
when we had the great flood, um,in the Mississippi, and so all
proceeds at that time went tothe American red cross for flood
relief efforts.
And so, I think at that time,where you guys donated $5,000,
(09:36):
which you know back then alittle bit different in 93.
And then in 2019, when we hadthe flood again, we Mississippi
muds stayed a constant, likeit's a popular flavor.
It's never gone anywhere, butfor, I think, about a month we
did all proceeds, all proceedsagain, we're going to flood
relief efforts and we're able toraise 47,000 that time.
Speaker 4 (09:55):
So it just shows how much the Quad Cities cares about
their community and is willingto rally behind something as a
matter of fact, the first timewe did that we actually had more
than one person, but I remembera little old lady came into the
store and said I don't want theice, but can you make sure this
dollar gets to the Red Cross?
And that's what makes the QuadCities a great place to live too
(10:17):
.
It's a giving community and acaring community, and we love it
.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
It's pretty incredible and you guys love our
community and you love givingback.
I mean, you've got the JohnDeere Classic ice cream John
Deere ice cream, which is prettyI just saw your post on social
media about that and then alsowith the Bix, you guys, um, have
all those popsicles for therunners, Um, has that always
been something you've wanted todo, Like give back to our
community, be a part of ourcommunity, or is it just
(10:44):
opportunities arise?
Speaker 1 (10:45):
You know, I think, what was that?
My grandma always said um, ifyou don't take care of the
community, they're not going totake care of you.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
So, and that's always been a staple for us, yeah, I
mean we, we make our living hereand we feel like we need to
give back with something wealways learn from our parents.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
And as to the Bix.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
I don't know how long we've been involved, but the
first year I set it up it wasjust us Pepsi and oranges.
That was it, yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
I mean, we've been involved with the Bix for a long
, long time.
I can't even fathom how manypopsicles we've given away over
the years they're makingpopsicles as we speak to start
prepping to give away at the Bix.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Well, yeah, I was going to say you've got to get
ready, because it's the 50thanniversary.
It's going to be a big party.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
I think we probably give away more popsicles than we
sell on a yearly basis, but forparades or whatever the case
may be.
But yeah, and then I know youmentioned the John Deere Classic
as well.
We don't know exactly how longwe've been involved, but I think
we were one or two years offfrom the beginning.
I think we when, when they werecelebrating their 50th
anniversary, we went back andtried to, you know, figure out
(11:56):
how long we've been around theretoo and we.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
We weren't involved when it was at crow valley, but
when it went to oakwood westarted, we started so yeah,
it's been a long long time I'mgonna need to try that flavor.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
what, what exactly is it?
Not just John Deere?
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Yeah, it doesn't taste like tractors.
No, it's lemon custard mixedwith lime sherbet, so it's a
very refreshing flavor.
It's grown in popularity everysingle year.
It's just people keep askingwhen it's coming back.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
It tastes like a frozen Sprite.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Yeah, and I love Sprite, that's perfect.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Well, Annika will let you in on next month's Treat of
the Month secret.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
What, yeah, like is this okay?
Well, when are we airing this?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
I guess, Sorry if I have to edit.
Put it out Our Treat of theMonth is going to be a John
Deere Classic float, in in otherwords a Sprite float with a dip
of John Deere classic in ityeah, double right, yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:56):
So it'll be great.
And then we're going to bedonating um a little bit off of
the sales of those to thebirdies fun that's incredible.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Again, here you guys go giving back to the community.
It's amazing, it's it'sincredible, what goes kind of
how did you guys create the JohnDeere ice cream?
What was the conversations like?
What were the ideas like, whatwere the flavors that you guys
threw out that didn't work, orhow?
Speaker 1 (13:21):
did.
How did it come?
Speaker 3 (13:22):
to be.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
You know we talked about it for their 50th
anniversary, of course, and itI'd love to say there was like a
huge research process.
But you know we knew we kind ofwanted it to be yellow and
green.
You know pretty classic colorsfor john deere and so obviously
the the good answers on that arelemon and lime.
Um, so we worked with the johndeere classic team and, um, they
(13:46):
came up and were able to be uphere when we were making the
first batch of it and it wasreally, really fun I think I
would.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
I'm sorry, and it was kind that John Deere, let us
call it that john deer thecompany deer and company,
because you know they need toprotect stuff.
But they tasted it and agreedthat they liked it too.
We did have to make someadjustments.
I mean, it's not just throwlemon, custard and lime together
, because the textures aredifferent.
We had to do some experimentingand adjusting and it's all
(14:13):
worked out well yeah, I thinkeveryone always asks.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
You know, they think we have this crazy lab up here
where we create new flavors anddo all these experimenting.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
But there's the lab yeah, it's, it's not.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
Um, you know, we kind of we always say that, or they
always say they make it how theylike to eat it.
So, um, you know, we kind of wealways say that, or they always
say they make it how they liketo eat it.
So, um, you know, we find theways that are going to work for
for us, um, things that we'reable to do, but a lot of times
we get ideas from employees.
You know, finding what othercompanies are traveling our
travels work for um, and then wekind of experiment.
(14:48):
But there's no major process orprogram for new flavors or
experimenting.
It's just kind of a what?
But there's no major process orprogram for new flavors or
experimenting.
It's just kind of a what wefeel will work best.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
So have you ever created a flavor and it just was
not a hit in the stores?
Yes, many one.
I just can't imagine any likeice cream not tasting great with
a lot of different things.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
You know a couple that come to mind over the last
year.
Well, the one big one that wasmore of a flop was Chipotle
chocolate, so it was like spicychocolate.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Oh, I was like what?
Speaker 1 (15:23):
It was fun, it was novel, but it didn't go over
super well you know, there'salways some people who love it,
but you never know.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
I mean, one year years ago, long before Annika
came back, we decided to have 10new flavors and that's a lot,
because you've got to takeflavors out of the store too and
we ended up with nine, and Iwas trying to come up with
something for the 10th and wethrew something together I don't
even remember what it was andthat became the most popular of
the 10 flavors it's notscientific, based on the Quad
(15:54):
City taste buds.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I mean, I know a lot of people love the lemon bar,
lemon bar shake.
And it's going to be like itwasn't a main item on the menu
or whatnot, and then all of asudden, it's around.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Yeah, we find that a lot with tree to the months.
Like you know, we can kind ofguess what might be more popular
than others, but then out ofthe blue one will just surprise
us.
One last year that we were like, oh, this is not going to be
our biggest one was pineappleupside down cake shakes and it
was our biggest tree of themonth last year.
You just never know you reallydon't.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
And it's funny because we put like I mean, I go
to Whitey's quite a bit I grewup in the Quad Cities and we
have like a question of the dayand we wrote like what's your
go-to Whitey's order?
And the amount of differentorders that our whole staff.
It was crazy and I was justlike because, again, like I go
with my go-to a moose trackshake, sometimes a strawberry
banana shake, but just the youcan't argue with either one of
(16:50):
those amazing.
It's just like the uniquedifferences, or when people go
and like my favorites, or whenthey go to the store and they
like add in all these crazyflavors, and somehow it works,
and then that's their order.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Since they were little, I'm like I don't know
how you got to that point butcongratulations now your staff
is truly amazing, like thethings that people come in and
they'll be like a push of that,a scoop of this, like half it's
just you know they they are veryum go with the flow on what
people request and they'rereally wonderful at being able
to to make it work sometimesthey add so much stuff there's
(17:23):
no room for ice cream it's justtoppings and you guys have,
which isn't bad either, becausewho wouldn't love a, you know,
like a whole cup of oreos orsnickers, or with some whipped
cream on top right, or even yourslushies are incredible.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
I love your cherry slush with vanilla ice cream.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
Oh, and I wish you know we back to how we we don't
always make things easy onourselves.
We, um, we make all of ourslush ourselves.
You know it's not like astore-bought situation and as
far as our toppings go, we umhave a woman who works for us
that all day long she just makesthe toppings.
You know you can buy them, butwe like how we do them better.
(18:02):
So you know we have we gothrough a lot of great, great
lengths to make sure that peopleare receiving the best product
we can put out there, which isamazing.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
I mean it matches with your values and and every
time we walk into a Whitey store, I mean we have just the best
experience, and I know you guysprobably train your employees to
be to be bright smiles whenpeople walk in.
I mean I probably know theanswer to this, but are you guys
do?
Are you guys trained behind thecounter like would you hop in
and help out if it's, if it'sbusy?
Speaker 1 (18:32):
yeah well I was there two weekends ago.
Yeah, you know, um, we, wedefinitely do.
It's um, it's all hands on decksome weekends.
So, uh, we, we definitely.
And it it's fun to be able towork in the stores and to
interact with customers, seewhat people are ordering, how
they're ordering it, you know,get to know employees a little
(18:54):
bit better, and so, and I get- alot of grief when I'm behind
the counter.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
You know what's the old man still working for and
all that stuff.
But we, we still do it all.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
You guys really do it , Annika.
You wear a lot of hats I meannot to like spill the secret but
you're the hand behind thesocial media.
If anyone was wondering, likeshe, when you look at whitey
social media, she's the onethat's holding all, all of the
shakes and the cups and thecones and the red nails she
wants, yeah she wants us to payfor her nail polish.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
Now it's a business expense I have to agree with her
, I think I I'm pretty sure leahsaid that that should be a
company, a company payment.
Now it, um, it's something thatI just personally have red
nails a lot and you know I wasthe one taking pictures and
there they were and it's turnedinto something I was not
expecting.
Speaker 4 (19:47):
We'll put it that way it offsets all the black she
wears every other day.
But it's funny how peoplecomment on those red nails.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
It's like it's a staple, it's like part of your
brand now.
Speaker 4 (19:59):
It's like the red nails are that's what I'm
expecting.
Good thing, our colors are redand white.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
Yeah, it'd be a little bit different if we were.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Green and white.
Yeah, our colors wereoriginally green and white.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
What was why change?
I mean, I love green, it wasbefore I was born.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
Yeah, we have pictures of it being green and
white.
To be honest, we don't knowwhen it changed exactly and
nobody really knows the reason.
It's just going to be one ofthose things that goes down in
Whitey's folklore, no rhyme orreason.
But we used to be.
It was kind of a darker greenand white.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
So yeah, the trivia question.
You know Whitey's first colors,but I think it's.
I think it's cool that you haveyour hand Well, not just your
hand.
Like your marketing, you do thesocial media and as someone
who's also in social media, Iknow you probably talked to a
lot of students in classes.
And what advice do you have forhelping out such a strong brand
(20:54):
or running a social media thathas such a big following?
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Yeah, you know I think we probably go against the
norm a little bit.
I know, when I was in socialmedia classes back in the day,
they, you know, used to alwaysbe like respond to every comment
.
You know, do this, do that.
And you know we're kind of Ithink we're unique in a way of
how we still operate our storesand kind of you know a little
(21:19):
bit more of a traditional sense,like a little old fashioned, as
people call it, and so from asocial media perspective, we
kind of I do the same.
You know we don't.
We don't respond to everycomment, we don't do certain
things.
You know we're not runningdeals all the time or whatnot,
but it's really been fun to seehow much people care and love
the brand and on social media,you know, and it's just the
(21:42):
littlest things, you know wedon't post a ton, but when we do
, you know it's always, it'salways so endearing to see all
the people saying I miss.
Whitey's come to Japan, come toyou know wherever.
That was just one that poppedup yesterday, so it's top of
mind, phoenix, phoenix orwhatever the case is, and you
know so, our social media hasbeen fun.
(22:03):
When I came back we just didn'tneed it necessarily, and so
it's been really a fun projectto develop it.
I think they posted maybe twicea year before I came back.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
Our controller used to post a couple of items.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
It was like pumpkins back and closed on Christmas,
and so it's really been fun tocreate this whole Following yeah
yeah, it really is, and it's aneasy way to talk to your fans.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
I mean I went to Iowa State and I would have, like my
parents or like friends,parents, grab our whitey shakes,
put it in dry ice and thenbring them up to Iowa State and
we would have them.
And it was like the bestweekend ever because we just
craved it so much.
Like Whitey's is a staple.
I got I played softball, Iwould say as well and we got our
(22:50):
whole softball team Whitey's umice cream from like Hy-Vee and
we were like after practice wewere like we have to try this,
like all the QC girls were likeyou have to try this, you have
to try this.
So we got, I think, classic,just vanilla and then moose
tracks, chocolate chip cookiedough and then it might've been
like Mississippi mud maybe.
And oh my gosh, the girls andthe coaches were obsessed and
(23:13):
thank you for spreading it.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
I went to Iowa state too, so that is near and dear to
me.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
We know that road.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
It is fun, you know, especially seeing on social
media.
We always talk about it with weFedEx ice cream across the
country.
So it's a service that we areable to offer.
It's not a cheap service, I'llbe the first to admit it.
But you know we're shipping ahazardous material with dry ice,
so it gets a little bit spendy.
But you know, love seeingpeople post on social media,
like them opening their box ofwhiteys that arrived in Florida
(23:46):
or whatever the case is, andit's it's.
You know we we'd love to bringthat joy to people.
So it's pretty awesome.
So, yeah, we, we we package alot of coolers, especially
around holiday weekends andwhatnot.
The, our two stores that do dryice, our 41st street store in
Moline and our 53rd Street storein Davenport.
They just, they're ready for it.
(24:08):
They got, they're ready to packa lot of coolers traveling to
wherever, wherever they're going.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Yeah, I can't.
I mean like I can imagine howmany places and people want
Whitey's in their area.
Would you ever expand outsidethe Quad Cities, the Midwest or
is this your?
Is this your home?
Is this where you're staying?
You ask?
Speaker 1 (24:31):
a good question.
This is our home.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
This is where we're staying.
We're not opposed to expansion,but you have to have the right
amount of help and the good help, and because we, you know
there's the whitey way and howwe do things here and we don't
want to change that.
We really don't.
(24:53):
Our folks used to say you takecare of your reputation and the
rest will take care of itself.
So, um, that's what we've triedto do all these years is
maintain our reputation and notdo anything to mess it up.
Even if you hire some youngpunk that runs social media, you
know we have to put a lid onher occasionally.
(25:14):
No, she's done a great job withit and, um, that's just
bolstered another form ofreputation building.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Really whether it be for ice cream or red fingernails
, I don't know well.
And I think you know um, we getasked about the expansion
aspect a lot and um, right nowwe're we're happy with what you
know we're maintaining and happywith where we're at.
But I think that you know it'salways said to the Quad Cities
takes a lot of ownership overWhitey's and we have people tell
(25:42):
us all the time that oh, wehope you guys don't expand out
of the Quad Cities because thenit's not ours.
You know, I think there's a lotof pride in it and so that goes
along with.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
You know people always ordering the same thing,
or our reputation.
We say the Quad Cities istaking ownership in our stores
because if they ever come andtell us a story like you may,
you'd say my store is the one inBettendorf.
And so they've always referredto it as my store.
Well, it means because theyalways go to the same store, but
(26:12):
also underlying gives us thatwarmth and uh fuzzy feeling that
you know they take ownership inwhitey's
Speaker 3 (26:20):
yeah, I, I mean, I definitely do.
I say my store and it's the onein bettendorf and which is
hilarious.
You killed that and so andagain, like one of my favorite
things is when I have my friendsvisit from college or from out
of town, it's like that's one ofthe first things we do is we
take them to Whitey's becausethat's like you know, qc is
(26:42):
known for this awesome ice creamand such a great brand and
you're going to have such agreat experience when you go in.
And so selfishly, I'm kind oflike, keep it the Midwest and in
the QC, but at the same timeit's like I want everyone to be
able to experience Whitey's,because and that's true because
sometimes we feel we don't evenhave any Quad City customers
unless they've got company intown.
Speaker 4 (27:04):
You know, these are my friends from Kentucky.
We had to come here, but we dohere so often, you know.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
I got off the plane and I went to Whitey's before I
went home.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
It's like well, thank you, but see your family.
You know, this time of the yearit fits because years ago we
had a guy come in the store akid.
He said I'm just coming homefrom college, so if I'm back
here tonight with my parents,don't tell him.
I was in here already.
So he stopped by for a cone ora shake before he went home you
have, you have priorities right,yeah well, that was always when
I was in college.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
It was like the first thing when I came home we got
to go to whitey's and I didn'tcare if we went every day for
the next week, like that wasjust on our.
It was important.
And again, it's one of myfavorite things when people are
like you're from, you're fromthe Quad Cities, oh, whitey's.
We literally just had um, agroup here from Illinois and we
were like, oh, are you leaving?
Are you leaving town thisafternoon?
(27:58):
They're like, yeah, but we'regonna make a quick, quick stop
at Whitey's and I'm making myhusband drive because so then I
can eat my shake on the way home.
It's the way to go it'sliterally perfect you used to
always get cones.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
when we were driving and he said well, you can't eat
a shake while you're driving,you can get a cone down.
Speaker 4 (28:14):
I just did last week.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
You drove with a shake on the way home, or you
drove with a cone.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
A shake.
Oh, that's good, we weredriving on the highway out west
always, and we brought someshakes that were frozen for
after lunch.
Speaker 1 (28:28):
you know, it's literally perfect.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
But it is when you're driving.
A cone is easier.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Are you guys a waffle cone, cake cone?
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Oh, I got sugar.
A waffle cone is a lot.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
It is, I'm a cake cone.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Yeah, yeah, you know it's funny.
I think that everyone's alwayslike well, don't you guys just
eat it all the time and it'slike, you know, more often than
not there's ice cream up in ouroffice in the freezer that we
need to test or try.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Had some this morning .
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Yeah, Sherberts were on the list this morning, so you
know there's always ice creamaround.
So then sometimes you're like,oh, I don't need to get my
banana gram, but then it'simpossible not to.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
I was going to say what a fun gig eating ice cream
breakfast, lunch and dinner,trying new flavors.
Speaker 4 (29:13):
It's good for you we do always have a long list of
volunteers to be taste testersyeah, sign, sign me up.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
If you guys ever have a new flavor, I'll just I'll
give it to you straight.
Speaker 4 (29:23):
It's probably always going to be good to me we'll let
you know if we're ever going tochange how we make moose tracks
oh, please, I just, I love itso much, never change I know
moose tracks is one of thosefunny ones.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
It's, you know, it's obviously a big seller but it's,
you know, a people pleaserthrough and through.
But you know there's alwaysother crazy things that people
are talking about, you know,whether it be a well.
One of them right now is ourpeanut butter Oreo fudge, which
won the retro flavor madness isjust we can't keep it in stock.
But then you have your classicsthat we know are always.
(29:56):
You know your mint chocolatechip, your Graham central
station moose tracks.
That are just classics, thatwe're not gonna.
We're not gonna mess with those.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
And now I'm like, all right, I'm trying to figure out
my schedule at the end of theday, like, can I go grab whiteys
on my way home from work at myice?
Speaker 1 (30:12):
cream too much.
You're talking about ice creamtoo much.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
I need to eat some.
You know, it's funny, Annika,when, when we had our meeting
together with the rest of thebrand crew a month or so ago, um
, I get a text that night and itwas Katrina and Lindsey and
they both went to the Whiteysthat night and they both got the
lemon bar shake after we weretalking.
Did they and did they like it?
Oh, katrina was like this isthe best thing I've ever had
Bunch of emojis.
(30:35):
She was so excited and it wasjust.
It was funny, because it's likeyou talk about whiteys and it's
now I'm going to have to go.
Now you have to go and honestlyI might just have to sign up
for the Bix just so I can getsome popsicles at the end as
well.
Speaker 4 (30:46):
We can make an arrangement for you, yeah well,
our popsicles are.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
you know we, they're in our stores.
We have four different flavors.
We have a root beer, blueraspberry, our cherry and orange
, and you know not that we'rebiased or anything, but our
popsicles are probably the bestpopsicles out there.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
There are plenty of flavor.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Yeah, yeah, I was going to say they're so good I
can taste it on my mouth rightnow because of how many times
I've eaten them.
I think when I was growing up,we had them in in middle school
and parents would bring them infor treats, and it was.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
I need to fire Annika and hire you as our social
media never I don't have rednails that feelings you're
coming out with just popsicles.
No.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
Annika does a great job again.
Like we love the social media,it's so funny.
And when, seriously when wefound out that you were behind
all the pictures, pictures andthe and the March madness of the
favorite flavor, and amazing,as a social media person, I'm
like, oh, what can I learn fromher today?
Oh, my gosh, you're so sweet.
Speaker 4 (31:44):
She is pretty good.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
We have fun with it and it's a.
It's a big joke up here withour general manager, because you
know, when I post something Ihave to make sure everyone's
okay with it, because as soon asit's posted, it's it's
something's gonna happen, sothey have to have enough on hand
.
Yeah, so it's actually Ilearned my lesson the hard way
with that, so there's a lot oftrial and error.
I'd be like, oh, it sounds likea fun day to post moose tracks.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
And then I was like, oh, we gotta make it, that's
funny because you don't eventhink about that, whereas, like,
like, if you posted somethingyou know people are going to see
it.
They're probably going to comeinto the store if they like,
want that flavor.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
And if you don't have it.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
Yeah, no, it definitely.
I've made a few mistakes inthat route.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
We've actually ordered more Sprite base, so we
have enough Sprite on hand fornext month's Treat of the Month,
smart.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
You have to think those things out sometimes.
Treat of the month especiallygot more challenging during
COVID when there was a lot ofsupply chain issues because we
really had to get creative withwhat we were actually able to
get in in a short amount of time.
You know we couldn't just do anOreo shake because Oreos were.
There was a backlog on Oreosfor a long time.
So you know, it was just kindof maintaining what we could at
best and then just figuring outwhat we could do for a treat of
the month from there.
So it's a little bit easier nowthat things have normalized in
(33:02):
the supply chain world.
But we still have to think itthrough before anything gets
posted, that's for sure.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
So do you guys have one last question Do you have a
favorite like treat of the monththat you have posted, or like
put out there and it's just likeyour go-to flavor?
Now I know you have yourchocolate mall and your
mississippi mud, but what abouta flavor of the month?
Speaker 1 (33:24):
no, I can't say now I have to like look back at the
list of what we've done.
Now there's been so many um,you know, there's some that are
just basics, that we well, wedid um did what's your favorite
Chocolate banana butterfingershake, yum.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
Try it.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
That sounds so good, chocolate banana shake is very
refreshing, and if you eitherput Reese's peanut butter cup or
butterfinger in with it itworks.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Yum, we did that as a true to the month, I think this
year Again, my brain losestrack of when we did that as a
true to the month.
I think this year again, my nolast fall, my brain loses track
of when we did what, but youknow if you get certain flavors
like coconut or banana um.
Speaker 4 (34:02):
Some people say, no, I had no interest in it, you
know so certain things like thatcan be risky.
Not any big risk, but um thereare people that really have the
anti-taste on certain things.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
You know, one funny one that I always think about is
we did a Rocky Road shake lastyear and we're like, oh, this
one's going to go big.
People always ask us to do aRocky Road flavor and I don't
know if it's the nut aspect orthe marshmallow aspect, but it
just fell flat Like it's one ofthose.
You just you never know.
I tried it and it went fast.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Right right, it's one of those.
You just you never know.
I tried it fast, right right?
Um, you guys had a flavor ofthe month, I think, but now I
feel like I get it all the time.
It was the um almond joyish onewith, like the oh yeah, coconut
joy, oh yeah that one is sogood that's a great flavor.
Speaker 4 (34:50):
Well, he had the funny story about that one, the
naming of that well, we calledit almond joy, but we put an e
on the end of the almond and wegot a call from the candy
manufacturer saying you can't dothat.
Years ago that wouldn't matter,but you know we're small.
But now our flavors are on theweb, so now we get the calls.
(35:11):
So we just changed it tococonut joy and sales doubled
because almond scares peoplereally.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
No chocolate covered almonds in it and coconut now
and it goes yeah hey, that's aflavor that is such a good
flavor and I love that storybecause, like I can see some
people like I I wouldn't sayalmond joy is like everyone's
favorite candy bar but, you takethat name out of the the shake
name and suddenly it's a wholedifferent flavor I know each.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
I feel like it's at this point.
Each flavor has a funny littlestory about it somewhere along
the line so, yeah, they, there'salways, um, you know, a funny
little little something witheach one, especially the flavors
that have been around for along time.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
There's so much history in in whiteys and it's
just fun to kind of like uncoverthe.
I guess like peel back theonion and find out everything.
Speaker 4 (36:10):
I wish we would have taken notes on a daily basis.
We could have written a book.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
Hey, you still could because, like, even just this,
these 40 minutes, you guys havetold me so many incredible
stories I would have never evenrealized, or I literally can't
wait to tell the staff.
Like, did you know the firstcolor of whiteys was actually
green?
Speaker 1 (36:28):
No, you guys didn't.
That is like a fun triviaquestion.
Speaker 4 (36:33):
Nobody's around to say that I'm a liar anymore.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
You could come up with a lot.
You wish we had the answers tothat.
Unfortunately, no one's left toask, but we'll just come up
with fun stories to tell alongthe way.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
Keep the legacy going and just Whitey's is such a QC
staple and we thank seriouslyVisit Quad Cities and our
community thanks you guys forbeing just incredible, such a
staple.
We love the white, we lovewhiteys, we love you guys.
Speaker 4 (37:02):
It's been so fun um we thank you guys for promoting
the Quad Cities well, of course,of course we'll do that.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
And it's again it's always easy to promote ice
creams but everybody loves ityeah, it's so true.
Um, we always finish ourpodcast with the qc that's where
statement.
So I gave you guys some time tothink um, so finish this
sentence, qc, that's where youget great ice cream.
Speaker 4 (37:32):
Oh, that's terrible.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
Do you have a better option?
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Home.
That's where it's home.
I love it.
It was perfect.
You guys are rock stars.
Seriously, thank you Takingtime out of your super, super
busy schedule um to chat with me.
Tell me some really fun stories.
I really appreciate it.
Um, you guys rock.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Having us.
Yeah, thank you, you guys rock.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Thank you so much Thanks for listening to QC.
That's where a podcast poweredby visit quad cities text visit
QC to three, eight, three, one,four for insider events,
activities and updates sentstraight to your phone.
That's V, I, s, I T, qc.
One word to three, eight, three, one, four.
(38:18):
Message and data rates mayapply.
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