Leatherby’s Family Creamery, Redding’s oldest independent ice cream parlor, has some new owners. Meet Claudia Licata, Alan McAllister of Redding, and the couple’s silent partner.

Leatherby’s has changed hands and identities a few times since it first opened in Redding in 1984, closed in 1990, reopened in 1992, and was sold in 2005. During those years, its names ranged from Leatherby’s Family Creamery to Scoop City to The Spot Downtown back to Leatherby’s Family Creamery again, which is what it’s known as now.

Licata, who does marketing for Results Radio in Redding by day, has a food service background from when she managed Chevy’s Mexican Restaurant. She found her path to restaurant ownership by accident last month when she went to Leatherby’s for her son’s baseball party and struck up a conversation with one of Leatherby’s owners.

“He said he was looking to sell,” Licata said Monday. “I went home and thought about it. We decided this was something we wanted to do.”

Licata hopes Leatherby’s will be a “Happy Days” kind of place, a family-friendly spot for a first date or 50th wedding anniversary.

She’s proud that they offer simple, affordable food, which explains the Student’s Special where $5 will buy chicken strips, French fries and a drink, created when a trio of college students wandered in and had only $5 to spend on lunch.

She and McAllister take turns working at the restaurant. He works days, she works nights. Thus far, they have no grand plans for extreme changes, other than to add some sweets, such as Nannette’s Chocolates, and other treats.

They will continue to make Leatherby’s ice creams and toppings recipes. They use R&R Meats, purchased just a few blocks away. They buy much of their produce from the Redding Certified Farmers Market. From the Hearth is their bread supplier.

They’ll keep a portion of the front deli counter for Furnari’s Sausages, made on the premises by owner Joe Furnari, who also prepares and sells such to-go items as marinara sauce and packaged lasagna.

Licata said she and McAllister are young, so they’re committed to working hard every day to maintain a clean restaurant, with good food, reasonable prices and a welcoming atmosphere. They’re aware that some other businesses, including restaurants, are struggling to stay afloat in this economy.

Even so, Licata’s not worried.

“Maybe working people don’t have enough money to go out of town,” she said. “But families still want to go out to eat. They want to take their kids out for ice cream and a hamburger.”

This is Licata and McAllister’s third week in business.

So far, so good.

“This is a great family establishment,” Licata said. “We see so much opportunity here.”

What:  Family Creamery

Where: 1670 Market St., Suite 270 (the main, sidewalk entrance is on Placer Street)

Hours: Monday - Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday noon to 11 p.m.; Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
Contact: Claudia Licata at 605-1596 (note, this is Leatherby’s new number)

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