Farr's Candy Company
Idaho Falls, ID
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The rooftop sign at Farr’s Candy Company gives Idaho Falls travelers a good reason to look above the storefronts. Advertising sweets from up there seems like a pretty effective way to tempt someone who hadn’t planned on buying any.

This Idaho business began in 1911, when Roy Farr opened a confectionery shop on Broadway Street. Handmade candy built its reputation, followed by ice cream and a regional following. It has its own history, rather than simply being an Idaho distribution stop for Ogden’s Farr Better Ice Cream.

UPDATE: Farr’s continues making candy and ice cream in Idaho Falls after more than a century in business. Cherry cordials, peanut clusters, and Mallow Nut Bars keep the confectionery tradition going. The old rooftop lettering recalls the company’s long place in the local streetscape. 06-26

Farr Ice Cream
Ogden, UT
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The enormous rooftop lettering at Farr Better Ice Cream makes this Ogden stop easy to recognize from down the street. Outlined in neon, the sign advertises something that rarely needs much persuasion on a warm afternoon. It certainly made me want a closer look. 09-06

The family incorporated Asael Farr & Sons in 1920, initially supplying ice. Ice cream production followed in 1929, with the familiar shop adjoining the plant at 21st Street and Grant Avenue. That gave the business another way to keep Ogden cool as household refrigeration changed the ice trade.

UPDATE : The Farr sign definitely still lights up, but this might not last for long. There is talk that the building may be demolished soon. Many thanks to Bill Gerrard for update. 06-09

UPDATE: Farr Better continues serving customers from its historic Ogden location. Earlier concerns about losing the building did not bring an end to this familiar stop. The rooftop sign remains its roadside calling card, while generations of customers continue making their own decisions at the scoop counter. 06-26

Mrs Backer's Pastry Shop
Salt Lake City, UT
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The elaborate sign above Mrs. Backer’s Pastry Shop gives this Salt Lake City bakery a welcome worth noticing. It’s the sort of storefront that makes you consider stopping for something sweet, even if you weren’t thinking about cookies a block earlier.

Martin Backer opened the shop in 1941, naming it in tribute to his mother, who helped persuade his father to finance the venture. The family brought German baking traditions to South Temple, including recipes and wooden cookie presses. Its famous buttercream flowers even use decorating tips custom designed for blossoms such as daffodils and sunflowers.

UPDATE: Mrs. Backer’s continues operating at 434 East South Temple under the Backer family. The shop retains its traditional colors and decor, with cakes, pastries, and seasonal cookies filling the cases. More than eighty years later, the familiar frontage still offers a good reason to interrupt a drive with a bakery stop. 06-26