Eric Berley: Co-Owner of The Franklin Fountain

 

Going to the Franklin Fountain is an experience unlike any other you could have in Philadelphia. This old-fashioned ice cream parlor is a hot spot for both tourists and locals dying to get a scoop of delicious, old-fashioned ice cream. We recently met with Eric Berley (co-owner of the Franklin Fountain and Shane Confectionery), and he shared his story of starting a business in Philadelphia and what he loves about working in Olde City.

Brothers Eric and Ryan Berley purchased the building 11 years ago (it had previously existed as a bar for sailors, a coffee shop, a sporting goods store, and a cake bakery). Eric, who always had an interest in history, was a tour guide at Christ Church and studied religion in college. One summer, Eric learned how to make ice cream from a family friend. Then combined with Ryan’s background in the antiques business, they decided to start a business together and open an ice cream shop. “I was really called to Philadelphia,” Eric says. The duo loved Olde City as a neighborhood to work in and recognized the need for an ice cream shop.

So with their impressive building at 116 Market Street, they removed everything from the former 1980s bakery and replaced it with beautiful, period-appropriate décor and antiques from the early 20th century (1900s to 1940s) including ceiling fans, phones, cash registers, tin ceilings and even walls (circa 1910). When they first opened, they were unable to manufacture their ice cream; it wasn’t until a couple years later that they found production space in Northern Liberties. Today all of their magnificent flavors are produced in the next-door building. The Franklin Fountain also features a cigar counter which highlights their vast array of sodas, postcards, nostalgic candies, and salt water taffy. Eric shared with us that centuries ago, the neighborhood was a major hub of activity, bustling with mercantile clientele. For him, preserving the history of the store and the neighborhood is very important. Both Eric Berley and his brother Ryan have a “passion for the history” of Philadelphia which they incorporate into the Fountain.

Entering the Franklin Fountain is certainly a unique experience. The atmosphere is unlike any other shop or eatery in Philadelphia; all the employees are extremely pleasant. We asked Eric what his greatest marketing technique is. “Our most effective marketing technique is treating everyone really specially and making it a special experience every time they walk in the door.”  He says with that comes wonderful opportunities to network and expand their business. They are always receiving special requests, working on projects and developing partnerships with companies in Philadelphia and across the country.

Their block has changed drastically since they opened the shop 7 years ago. “There wasn’t the photography studio, the sushi restaurant, and there wasn’t the hair gallery,” Eric points out. Some buildings that were previously boarded up are now five-story condos. The area is in transition, and the Franklin Fountain is largely responsible for the revitalization. Eric strongly believes in maintaining the history of the block. He’s in the process of having a historical marker installed down the block—that building is where the first full volume bible was published in North America. Across the street is the real location of Benjamin Franklin’s print shop; the area was called Printer’s Row. With Franklin Fountain (and the soon-to-open Shane Confectionery), Eric aims to bring these stories to the public.

Lots of projects are underway, most notably Shane Confectionery. The brothers purchased the candy store next door, and they hope to open this year to coincide with the 100th anniversary (it’s America’s oldest candy store). Workers are busy restoring hardwood floors, painting ornate shelving units, and pulling cabinets out of storage. When it comes to the opening of a new business, Eric knows that a lot of what gets done depends on other people. “In business, it’s not a one man job.” They have 400 products that they’ve sourced but not yet purchased. With both Shane Confectionery and the Franklin Fountain, Eric and Ryan are constantly working to bring customers the best products possible. There’s lots of taste testing. “It’s not a bad gig,” Eric laughs. Another goal is to source more fruits that are organic and as local as possible. Eric feels it make their menu options much more special. New products for the summer include key lime sorbet and loganberry (a hybrid of blackberry and raspberry) soda. Heidi, one of Eric’s employees, is amazed at how much she has learned in her years with the Franklin Fountain. “It’s fun! You get to sample while you’re working. It’s nice to know that you can learn more.”

Eric says “The greatest challenges in business are those same in life.” Don’t give up. If you believe in your concept, then it will work. A typical workday consists of 1.5 hours of attending to emails related to offsite events/marketing/special requests and writing up invoices for wholesale. His day also includes at least two hours of coordination with the prep to keep the operations moving. They’ll also be putting out fires (if the whip cream machine doesn’t work), tasting the batches of ice cream, checking in with everyone and writing a schedule for the ice cream function. I don’t do the same thing everyday, but I do the same thing every week. I’m the COO.” We lastly asked him what piece of advice he had for entrepreneurs looking to start a business in Philly. “Read as much as you can. Read everything.” He suggests good newspapers, and having a good sense of what the market is ready for.” At Franklin Fountain, it’s all about a great product and a great customer experience. That’s the key to their business success and what makes them so popular in Philadelphia.

Check out our video tour of both The Franklin Fountain and Shane Confectionery:






 franklinfountain.com
shaneconfectionery.com