McConnell’s Brings 70-Year Legacy to Palisades

By CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA | Reporter

Despite having a much-anticipated new location in Pacific Palisades, McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams has been around since 1950 when it first opened in Santa Barbara.

The idea came four years prior when Gordon “Mac” McConnell dreamed of making the “finest ice cream in the world.” The ambition continued with his pledge to make the ice cream 100 percent from scratch and, with the help of his wife Ernie, he set out to serve happiness one cone at a time.

Original recipes include ingredients from local California farms to grass-grazed milk and cream, fruit, nuts and produce.

“Ice creams are now filled with cheap, artificial flavorings and colorings, [still are, mostly] and loaded with fillers, stabilizers and preservatives,” the company said.

Cooking all of their jams, preserves, chocolates and other goods in house gave Mac and Ernie the flavor they were looking for, and the flavor for which McConnell’s is now known.

Twelve years after their first opening, Mac passed away and left the business to his wife, who then sold it to local Santa Barbara’s Jim and Jeney McCoy, who would go on to successfully run the business for 50 more years.

Now, under the ownership of Santa Barbara chef and restaurateur Eva Ein and husband Michael Palmer since 2012, McConnell’s still continues to be a staple of Santa Barbara at its new flagship store on 728 State Street.

By 2014, distribution had reached as far as New York City, and McConnell’s had grown to receive recognition, including the Sofi Award. The ice cream was deemed Best Dessert at the New York Fancy Food Show.

McConnell’s now operates shops across Southern California, including Los Feliz, Studio City and Downtown Los Angeles in the Grand Central Market.

After receiving  “The Best in the World” by Time Magazine, McConnell’s has set its sights in the Palisades, with hopes of including the town in their nearly 70-year legacy.

Diners can expect to see favorite flavors, including Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Banana & Salted Caramel, Early Grey Tea & Shortbread Cookies, and the most recent addition, the fall 2018 limited-releases, Mocha Fudge & Smoked Almonds and Olive Oil & Salted Almonds.