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Leopold's Ice Cream in the early days

Stratton Leopold serving ice cream at Leopolds

A city is no greater than its people and the businesses, arts, and creativity that spring from them. Every city has businesses that have existed for decades and even centuries that help them define themselves. Savannah has been specifically defined by its food businesses. Names such as Gottlieb’s Bakery, Byrd Cookie Company, Mrs. Wilkes, and others can make a Savannahian go all nostalgic. But today probably one of Savannah’s oldest and most recognized businesses has been around since 1919.
Leopold’s Ice Cream was founded that year by three Greek brothers fresh from Greece. They were George, Peter, and Basil Leopold. They went under the tutelage of an uncle who had already established himself in America, created their secret formulas and started a business that today has been called by the Toronto News one of the ten best ice cream parlors in the world.
Johnny Mercer, a native of Savannah and famed lyricist who penned Savannah’s theme song Moon River, worked there as a boy. In fact he grew up only a block away from the original shop. He once told Peter Leopold he would write a song about the flavor ice cream Tutti Frutti. Unfortunately, Little Richard would write the song Tutti Frutti about something else. Mercer was said to have visited Leopold’s every time he returned from Hollywood.
Peter’s son Stratton Leopold took over the business after his father died. Stratton would catch the Hollywood bug and move there. The establishment closed the doors and Stratton Leopold stored his family’s legacy of iron chairs and marble topped tables, and the long black marble counter for 35 years.
Stratton would become a major film producer. He produced such films as the Big Chill, Mission Impossible 3, The General’s Daughter and many other movies. But Stratton never forgot his hometown and the business he left behind. In the summer of 2004 Stratton and his wife opened the new Leopold Ice Cream Shop on Broughton Street in downtown Savannah. He brought with him the countertops and all the former store’s furnishings he had so diligently stored. He also more importantly brought back all the recipes the three Greek brothers had concocted those many years ago. And if that is not enough to get you in the doors he filled the store with posters and movie props from his time in Hollywood.
He brought his Hollywood cohort Dan Lomino, a nominated Academy Award designer, to give the store a circa 1935 diner vibe. The store has a free ice cream festival once a year to celebrate its anniversary and on July 4th has children recite the pledge of allegiance and receive a free scoop of Leopold’s ice cream.
Leopold’s has captured the hearts and taste buds of Savannah and even the world. So if you are ever in Savannah go to Leopold’s Ice Cream Shop and order a scoop of ice cream and who knows it may be served up by a famous Hollywood producer.

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Leopold's lit up at night

Interior of Leopold's