Cars rolling out of Detroit have changed a lot since the late 1940's, just as styles of clothing have continually changed.  But ice cream is still made pretty much the same today as it was in 1948 when Elmer Niederfrank opened a streetfront ice cream parlor in A Avenue in National City.

For 25 of those years Elmer ran a one-man business, making ice cream alone in the work room of his National City store, called simply "Niederfrank's".  Now a days people drive regularly from La Jolla, Spring Valley and even Jamul for a cone, or maybe a half gallon to take home.

"Ice Cream is no secret" said Elmer, "but I sure have done a lot of experimenting with all the flavors.  Sometimes one of the big chain stores will advertise a new flavor' and I'll just chuckle because I've been making that flavor for years".

He developed most of the flavors, one at a time.  As Niederfrank tells it, "People would come by the shop and request a flavor.  Servicemen, in particular, might ask for something they'd had back home. So I'd work up a batch and let them taste it next time they came in".

Taken from an article in the Star News, written by Emily Woodward.

This is the granddaddy of ice cream in San Diego. The late Elmer Niederfrank's 10 gallon batch freezer is still the mainstay of equipment in the business.  If the part goes out on the 75 year old machine, one must be fashioned from scratch.

Two young women who purchased the business in 1995, Patti Finnegan and Mary Ellen Faught, assiduously preserve Niederfrank's rich heritage.

Everything is made on premises: the ice cream, their own recipe waffle cones and the blend in flavors.  When you taste Niederfrank's Butter Rum Pecan ice cream or the Coffee Almond Fudge, the homemade butter rum or chocolate fudge melt in your mouth.

Sign on San Diego Kris Grant