Food Stuff

Not only has been around longer than Sacramento’s other ice-cream shops (64 years this month), but it also has the city’s best neon sign. Known as “Jugglin’ Joe,” the sign features a jug-eared soda jerk with a “What, me worry?” grin. With his right hand, Joe tosses a scoop of ice cream over his head. It lands unerringly in the cone he holds in his left hand. The sign was designed by Herman “Pops” Gunther in 1949, when the shop moved two blocks to its present location. Jugglin’ Joe completes the toss every eight seconds or so, which, assuming the sign has averaged four hours of operation a night, adds up to more than 36 million cones in the past 55 years. So, during this anniversary month, head over to Gunther’s and pay your respects to Jugglin’ Joe, Sacramento’s hardest-working ice-cream scooper. 2801 Franklin Boulevard, (916) 457-6646.