I was run over by a Merrymobile, in 1957 I was 4 yrs. old, and it is an awful memory. I spent an awful long time in the hospital. My name was Sheliah Holcomb then, and I lived on Galloway in Memphis Tn. But before all that happened I have some fond memories of the circle ringing it's bell on a hot summer day. sheliah Miller(Holcomb)

Wow, does this bring back memories. I lived in Georgian Hills on McCauley Dr. in the early 1960's and this use to roll down our street with the ice cream. We kids would all run for money. I even remember the surprise plastic sticks with the cowboy or other suprise on them when the ice cream was all gone. My older brother told me I was dreaming when I mentioned these round ice cream trucks that I remembered. Now, here is the proof!

Well i am the proof you need! THE ICE CREAM YOU REMEMBER WAS CALLED BURIED TREASURE, IT WAS MY FAVORITE,MY SECOND WAS CALLED BLUE SKY. tHANKS FOR REMEMBERING.

We lived on Broad Street in 1962 and my sister Amy and I would always love to buy the Shiver, Lemon Icebox Pie or Buried Treasure. There are many good memories of those days and the ringing bell of the Ice Cream Man.

Oh Sheliah!! I am SO sorry you were hit by the Merry Mobile!! That's awful because the Merry Mobile should be a purely GOOD memory.

You mentioned "Blue Sky". My favorite popsicle was called something like that. I remembered it as "Sky Blue", but it was a long time ago. Was yours a popsicle or ice cream?

Russ

THE BLUE SKY WAS A OPOCYCLE. THAT AND THE BURIED TREASURE WAS MY FAVORITE.i have a part of the mreeymobile on my exhusband's farm. AND TO THIS DAY I CANNOT GO UP TO A POPCYCLE TRUCK.

That does bring back some good memories. We lived on Whitepine St in Whitehaven, just off Shelby Drive & Tulane. I will never forget these ice cream trucks. I too have told others including my kids about the little round trucks selling ice cream and they all did't believe me. Yea right, round trucks! Well like someone befoer me said,"here's proof". My favorite was the "Sky Blue". Shaped like a rocket and tasted like lemonade. Does anyone else remember the husband and wife that drove the big delivery van type vehicle with the cotton candy machine and tons of candy and ice cream. They used to come to our neighborhood in the evening during the summer. Both of these were quite a treat. SWEET MEMORIES

the bluesky was a popcycle. that and the buried treasure was all i wanted. i am also the girl that was run over at age4 on galloway street. any guestion's ask me, because there iasn't much i don't know. also i have one sitting in sentobia at my husband's farm if it hasn't beeb stolen or rotted by now, sheliah holcomb miller

I remember the Merry Mobile!! I could only buy something once a week, and I always picked the pink lemonade popsicle. I haven't seen any since my childhood! We lived on Sequoia in East Memphis.

My most vivid memory of the Merrymobile involves my sister who was about 3 years old at the time. We lived in some small apartments on Johnson Circle just of Holmes near Summer Ave. It was a hot Sunday afternoon and we had no AC. Mother had us taking a nap, and my sister had stripped down to nothing. When she heard the Merrymobile truck coming, she jumped out of bed, out the door and down the street - naked.

I can't believe that there is actually a website about the Merrymobile. An ice cream truck just came down the street and it brought back a memory. I loved the Merrymobile. Can any of you remember the distinct smell of the fumes from the Merrymobile? I have never smelled another odor like it. My maiden name s McConnaughhay and up until I was in high school,I was raised in South Memphis which is the area that I remember the Merrymobile. We later moved to Whitehaven in 1968 but I guess the Merrymobile had stopped running in that area since I don't remember it there. My favorite ice cream was also the Buried Treasure.

Geri

My grandfather owned Merrymobile. I have many fond memories. I chased the ice cream cart around the Gaisman Park area and bought my share of blue sky popsicles, cho chos, chillers, and shivers. I loved going with my dad to the plant to count the money in a change separating machine and to ride the carts when they came in for the night. If a man made $100, they rang a bell to celebrate. When he closed the plant down for winter, he gave us all the leftover ice cream-a freezer full!

Annie, I own an old Merrymobile and I am in the process of restoring it. I would like to hear from you regarding any details you might be willing to share about your Grandfather and the company. Thanks, billsgarage@hotmail.com

I too, have told my children all about the MerryMobile! I have the best summer time memories of hearing the bell ring and all of the kids running as fast as they could to get money for their favorite popsicles!
My favorite was the sky blue and the lemonade flavored popsicle.
I am so happy to see so many people taking an interest in restoring and bringing them back to life!
What a wonderful idea to have one at a birthday party or company party! Especially if you have a 50's or 60's theme!
How much fun it must have been to have your grandfather own Merrymobile!

This is one of my all time favorite childhood memories. It was like a fairy tale, no one can believe it when I talk about our ice cream truck. I loved the bag of bullets (fudgesicles) and the buried treasures (kids would not even consider those treasures today, but I collected them). and also a shiver (malted milk cup of ice milk). should I go on?

The Merry Mobile was such a wonderful memory. Tiptoeing across the scorching hot pavement with bare feet only to step onto the Merry Mobile bumper that was just as hot. Then leaning over as the salesman...I swear I am clueless to a face...opened those magic doors and the icy chill that rose took your breath away. I'm gonna vote Buried Treasures #1 followed closely by #2 the infamous Sky Blue popsicle.
If anyone is hankering for a genuine "Buried Treasure" just visit a Six Flags theme park and ask for a "Pink Thing".
When I moved to the DFW area in 1985 and took my children to the Six Flags in Arlington Tx I was overjoyed at being able to share a taste of my childhood form Memphis with them.
Apparently they are made by the Blue Bell Ice Cream folks exclusively for Six Flags which makes them even more special!
Here's a link to Texas Monthly Magazine that refers to them as "Buried Treasures" too!
http://www.texasmonthly.com/1989-04-01/feature3.php

Oh and even though that article was written in 1989, my college age son was there with his fraternity in May and bought Buried Treasures aka Pink Things for his group!He's now got a whole crowd of Baylor kids calling them "Buried Treasures"
It's a good thing!

It's funny the things I remember about Merrymobile. One guy who worked there was named Mr. Workhoven and his birthday was November 8. Now why would I remember that?
I remember we grandkids (of Robert Heffelfinger, the owner) got to help make a commercial about chocolate ice box pies. We got to eat one of the ice cream bars and for some reason there weren't enough chocolate ones and I had to have lemon ice box pie. I didn't like lemon. I loved being on camera, though. Bill (up above), I'd love to talk more about my grandfather. My siblings would probably know more. I am slow about responding, as you can see. I don't use a computer at home much.

I sure would love to find one more Merrymobile to restore. Annie

This is for Annie
Do you know if those actual Merrymobiles that were used for display in the Old Navy stores?
I'm unsure if they still use them as I haven't been in an Old Navy store in almost 10 years. I saw them in the Dallas stores and one in Peachtree, GA before 2000 and almost swooned with nostalgia!

Have not even heard of a sky blue popsicle since I was three years old (1956) living in apartment complex on Camilla (I think it was). I thought I'd dreamed the things. Oh, what a memory! The Merrymobile. The dry ice always fascinated and scared me at age three.

We grew up in Whitehaven and I do remember hunting pop bottles for money so we could get a Blue Sky from the MerryMobile. I never knew the name of the Buried Treasure until now. We always called it "the squirrel one" and the vendor knew what we were talking about. I think one of the gang got a squirrel and it was renamed amongst us, but the vendor knew what we wanted when we asked for a "Squirrel One". HA!

I loved shivers and the merrymobile! Great memories in Memphis.

Ok,,, Blue Sky, Sky Blue, I still don't remember what it was. "Gimme a Squirrel One."

I believe I have found an old Merry Mobile. It's exactly like the photos, but faded and rather worn. It sits outside a gift and collectibles shop on Cedar Point Blvd. in Cedar Point, North Carolina on the Southern Outer Banks. I have yet to stop an inquire as to where it came from and how it got to Cedar Point. I nearly wrecked the car when I saw it one day while driving past! Wow! What a coincidence!

Oh, how I would love to have one. Robert Heffelfinger was my grandfather. I actually think a Merrymobile would go over really well in the town where I live now!

The Outer Banks is a looooong way from here.

Annie Armour

Wow, Annie! You are the granddaughter of the wonderful gentleman who brought us the Merry Mobile! That IS great!

Where are you?? Memphis?? I wish you could get your hands on this one. I'll bet the people who own it now have no clue what they have (unless they're from Memphis!). I'll try to get more information!

My memory of the Merrymobile is it always coming by during my naptime in the early sixties. In later years I wondered if I really saw something like this on the city streets (can you imagine something like this now in city traffic!) Yes, there really was a Merrymobile!

No matter where my neice Amy was or what she was doing, she heard the Merry Mobile the instant it entered the neighborhood. My most vivid memory was her song of excitement at about age two "Merry Mo, Mommy...Merry Mo Mommy." So many children and so many treats always swarmed the colorful vehicle.

Memories of times past, never to come again.

We lived on Riney Rd. and Slumber Ln. in Frayser in the 1960's. We always came running for the Merrymobile. The odor of the exhaust was always part of the memory. Many years later I was near an industrial forklift and realized the vehicles used the same propane or compressed natural gas as fuel.I also remember seeing the Merrymobiles in the late afternoon on the main streets tilted and funny looking because they were going so fast. Do you remember the mosquito fogging trucks? The radio, TV or newspaper would say what neighborhood or streets were getting sprayed between 6 and 6:30 p.m. or something similar and for everyone to stay inside during that time. How many of you did or didn't? What toxic unknown stuff did we breathe in our hurry to get back out and play hide and seek and kick the can? Such wonderful memories! The Dreamsicle was always my favorite.

I am so glad I found this website. I actually have grandfather that has two original Merry Mobiles . Who restores them? They need a lot of work, but they are a great part of history!

I lived at 5420 Southwood Drive in East Memphis from 1961 to 1978. In the summer of 1968, I recall vividly the garbage strike and curfew. We were told not to play outside much, and definitely not after dark. But then in the late afternoons 3 or 4 times a week before dinner that summer, I could hear the faint bell from the Merry Mobile! I would rob my dad's stash of change and buy one of those delicious raspberry pops! It made the seriousness of the time which I now know was racism just melt away.

I also loved the Merry Mobile. We lived on Riley Avenue (63 to 71) at the Lamar & Airways intersection. Blue Sky and banana were the best!!! We would stand on the curb and yell "stop...stop". Like the guy wasn't going to stop anyway :-)

I grew up in Evansville, Indiana and seeing the Merry Mobile was one of my favorite memories.

Memphis was not the only West Tennessee town to have Merry Mobiles. In May 1956 we moved to 132 Cartmell Street, Jackson TN with our 18 month old daughter. A "blue collar" area of mostly small two bedroom homes with lots of kids. The Merry Mobile came by every afternoon and caused lots of excitement. Looked exactly like the one in the picture above. I do not remember the names of any of the treats, but I do know the kids loved it. Very "sweet" memories.

I grew up in Evansville ,In ..I have great memories about the Merry Mobile too..I wish I could find one to restore If anyone knows of one that is still in exsistance please email me.I have really enjoyed reading all the comments about the Merry Mobile. Thanks for all the memories..Cindy
ckkissinger@aol.com

Hi Cindy,
If you find one and restore it let me know, I dont have any funds but if I won the lottery or came into some money I could get into restoring one and retiring with it.Which ice cream did you like to eat?
Joyce

Hi Joyce, I don't remember what it was called but it had the little toy in it,plus I always liked the fudgebars...Where did you grow up in evansville,and what school did you go to? Thats funny to find someone that came from evansville on here..

My favorite was the dreamsicle or the sherbert push up. I went to Washington grade school and Bosse High but did not graduate. I grew up on the east side by covert and weinbach area.

Oh thats right Joyce...the dreamsicle, I do remember that one...they were really good..I went to bosse in 1970 and got transfered to harrison after that. Was the sherbert push up the one that had a toy in it? I would love to find one of those merry mobiles so I could retore it..I showed the picture to my husband and he just loved it. I wish I could connect with the other lady on this site sheliah miller holcomb that said her husband had one on his farm..that would e great...have a super day joyce..

Cindy,

There is an old Merrymobile sitting in front of the Coastal Outlet on 1075 Cedar Point Blvd., Cedar Point, NC (252)393-7200. I first saw it last fall and identified it from the photos on this site. I have no idea where it came from or if the owners would sell, but there is the info. I grew up in Memphis! Good luck!!

I would have graduated from Bosse in 1974 if I had not quit. I got pregnant in my freshman year which was 1971 and went back to finish my sophmore year in 1973 but just couldnt deal with everything so quit after the year was over. I later got my GED in Phoenix, Az in 1983 What year did you graduate from Harrison? No the push up didnt have a toy but I did get those out of the Cracker Jacks ha ha.It is interesting talking to someone from that area beside my Dad.

Hi Joyce, Almost identical story for me but would have graduated in 73 but went back and got my Ged too....how funny is that..

A.Matthews...thanks so much for the info , I will check it out...Just love those merry mobiles..

My fond memories are babysitting my two nieces and nephew in the summers of 1961 and 1962. They could hear the Merry Mobile coming from several streets over and not matter what was going on, everything stopped! A mad rush to find the money and be WAITING at the curb. They were very young but they could say "sicle man - sicle man".
It's something that I will always remember.

I grew up in Louisville, KY. and remember a merrymobile that came down our street.. this would have been somewhere between 1964-1967 if I'm recalling correctly.
Am I recalling correctly? Or was there another similar ice cream vehicles operating in our area?

I am very fortunate to say that my grandfather owned High's Ice Cream off of Bellevue and he company made the ice cream that was sold through the Merry Mobiles. When I got older (teens) the MM's disappeared. As you an imagine, I had a great summer job each year, making Buried Treasures, Drumsticks. Eskimo Pies, all sorts of popcicles including the often mentioned Blue Sky's and much more. Boy I miss those days. It is wonderful to read the stories on this site.

I grew up in Evansville and remember the Merry Mobile well. My Dad took a part time job for extra income for a couple of summers and ran the route in the neighborhood where we lived. We were definitely the popular kids on the block during those seasons!

Hey Derek,

Airways and Lamar~ WOW! I used to sell shoes when I was 18 years old at the old Butler Shoe store in the shopping center. About a half block down and across the street was a Krispy Kreme donut place (and of course - who couldn't recall the old Airways Theater that only showed adult movies?) LOL! What memories people - what memories!



Submitted by: Derek : 08 Feb 2010, 22:55
I also loved the Merry Mobile. We lived on Riley Avenue (63 to 71) at the Lamar & Airways intersection. Blue Sky and banana were the best!!! We would stand on the curb and yell "stop...stop". Like the guy wasn't going to stop anyway :-)

we had them in Louisville, KY...I thought they were multi-colored, tho.

I lived in Louisville in the St. Matthews area. I thought we had them there as well but it's been a very long time ago.

I remember these from when I was a 5 year old kid in Dayton, Ohio around 1957. That treat cost a dime, which at the time was a lot of money for my mother. My older brother and I were absolutely delighted on the days when our mother left two dimes in the "special place for popsicle money" which was on top of the molding over the side door of our house. I bought my last sky blue from a different type of vending mobile in Cincinnati, Ohio when I was around 11 years old. I miss that flavor! Blue popsicles now are raspberry, which is good but somehow not the same.

WE moved to Whitehaven in '61. Remember the Merry Mobiles well and the famous lemon Icebox Pie!! Elvis used to run around in the pink/white jeep from Blue Hawaii and order ice cream too. He also bought his socks at Sears and played touch football and little league baseball in the neighboorhood. It was a more simple time.

WOW Carol - I forgot about Elvis and the Jeep. I remember seeing him driving his white Stutz Bearcat to the Memphian Theatre at night to rent it out for private showings. My ex-wife's aunt used to be the manager. I can also recall driving past Graceland and talking to Charlie Hodge at the front gate. He would drive around the grounds in a golf cart with a pretty young girl next to him by the name of Lisa Marie. And yes - they were simpler times. Thanks for the added memories.

We had a Merry Mobile in Kennett Mo, 100 miles north of Memphis. It was great to hear it in the neighborhood back in the 60's. I remember years later, probably early 80's, seeing it on the side of the road rusting away. Sad. Wish I had grabbed it!

Do I ever remember My two older brothers and I grew up at 693 N. Belvedere. I loved all the treats. We liked the banana popsicles or orange pushups.

Hey Jimmy Mac,
Are you talking about the FINe ARTS THEATRE? We used to watch until the movies were quite a long way in and the ticket person was gone we would just sneek in and sit down. Oh boy.

Hi Stacy,

I believe the Memphian Theatre was on Union Avenue back in the early 70's. There was an alley in the back that Elvis used to enter. I moved to Knoxville and don't know if it ever became a Fine Arts Theatre. I do recall the "sneaking" part though. LOL!

Jimmy Mac
www.lorimac.com
www.brazosriverband.com

Jimmy,
I remember now. It was at Poplar and N Belvedere it was the RITZ then and is now the Circuit Playhouse. We were about 13 or 14 years old or so then. There was also what we used to call a wino that lived in an alley subbasement across the street and a little east. We would go down and wake him up give him 4 or 5 dollars and he would get us a half pint of burbon delux and something for himself. I better stop this is way off topic.

I remember the Merry Mobile coming down Mary Street in Evansville Indiana every night in the summer. I always wanted to drive one myself. It always made me happy.

need one of those lemon ice box pie popsicles? jonesing bad!!!!! help me find one thanks

We'd hear the Merry Mobile when it was blocks from our house. We lived near Graham off Philwood on Grahamwood Drive. We called him the "Popsicle Man"!
One day he drove down our street. My brothers Clark and I knew that mom was in the shower. So the Popsicle Man let us each have one on credit. Mom laughs and says that was our first charge account! We went to Grahamwood Elem on Summer and I went to White Station High in the 7th grade and East High in the 8th and 9th. We moved to Atlanta in December of '66. Anyone out there live near that area of town? I've been back many times since we moved.

I grew up in Whitehaven in the 60's. We called him the Popcicle Man. He was a crusty old man with a glass eye and dirty fingernails. The Burried Treasure was topshelf,I usualy got the Bomb-Cicle which was red white and blue and shaped like a bomb. I think it cost 15 cents.