Ice Cream News
One-of-a-kind ice cream shop Original Rainbow Cone in Hurst will close
A unique ice cream shop in Hurst is closing: The Original Rainbow Cone, a Chicago-based chain known for serving ice cream in colorful "slices," will close its location at 460 Grapevine Hwy., barely one year after it opened.
Owner Steve Labus says the shop's last day will be Sunday, November 2.
"It was my goal to bring a high-quality ice cream to Texas as well as offer a family-friendly destination for the mid-cities," says Labus, who's a native of Chicago. "We hoped it would bring something of value to the community."
"We enjoyed some business during the summer, but I didn't feel optimistic about enduring through the winter," he says.
The Original Rainbow Cone is a Chicago institution founded in 1926, then acquired in 2018 by Buona Beef, another family-owned chain in Chicago that does Italian beef sandwiches. They began franchising in 2022.
They're famous for their signature Rainbow Cone, in which five flavors are stacked atop each other to make a colorful rainbow array: orange sherbet, pistachio, Palmer House (vanilla with cherries & walnuts), strawberry, and chocolate.
They also offer regular scoop-style cones in flavors such as birthday cake and mint chocolate chip, starting at $4 for a single scoop. Other menu options included sundaes, shakes, ice cream sandwiches, and ice cream cakes.
In its hometown Chicago, the Original Rainbow Cone shops draw long lines of ice cream fans who appreciate not only the eye-catching appearance but also the quality of the ice cream — a cut above your typical Braum's.
"We get our ice cream from Wisconsin, the dairy capital of the U.S., and unlike some bigger chains, it's not pumped up with sugar or butterfat," Labus says. "People who know good ice cream know the difference."
Unfortunately, Texas does not have a long tradition with ice cream, and considers Blue Bell to be good.
As one fan put it, "It's sad because Texas residents are stuck on the old places like Braums, Dairy Queen, and Sonic and not willing to try something new."
"I had high hopes Texans would really enjoy Rainbow Cone as much as I have growing up on them in Chicago," said another. They'll have one last weekend to stock up.
These spirits will get to shine in cocktails at Rickhouse.Photo courtesy of K. Spoetzl Brewery & Distillery