South side ice cream shop celebrates major milestone

For Lynn Sapp, ice cream is the family business.

"I'm third generation. I grew up in that house right there," she points to the street a block down from the pink building at 92nd and Western. "Our summers were revolved around Rainbow." she recalled.

Sapp's grandfather Joe founded the ice cream shop in 1926.

"It was a shack right across the street, where that parking lot is right now. Chicago really only extended as far south as the Bridgeport area. Western was just a dirt road. Beyond 95th street, however, were the centuries-old cemeteries that Chicagoans visited every Sunday. On their way back home, patrons would stop in for a cone. Sundays were always the most popular days. They still are," said Sapp.

Sapp and her siblings spent their summers there.

"I started working there when I was 14. My grandparents lived upstairs. My dad started out as a soda boy. He lived there too. There was a small parlor apartment in the back with a small bedroom and a small kitchen."

In the 80's Joe Sapp wanted to sell the business. That's when Lynn says it was her turn to step up.

"I went to college. I was a teacher. I soon realized I was making more scooping cones than teaching so I told my dad I wanted to buy the business. My siblings did other things after college. I was the youngest and wanted to carry on my family's legacy."

Sapp says the ice cream industry is changing and they face a lot more competition but their unique product and nostalgia keeps people coming back.

"My young staff got us on Door Dash and got us up for delivery. Social media and cameras have also changed our business. Our product is one of the most photographed items on social media." she said.

"We're grateful to God that we are still doing well, we're still here and we plan to be here."

And who doesn't need a little color in their lives? Sapp says she hopes to serve the rainbow cone for another 100 years.

"I'm very proud of this that we made it to 100. My grandfather would be thrilled. I always knew I wanted to take this to 100 years and beyond and honor Kathrine and Joe because I knew it was a special product and Bob and Jean and the ancestors that came before me. My family gave up to do this. Its a way of life. Life has changed a lot, but sitting down for a cone, hasn't. I hope that's around for a long time." said Sapp.

In a season-long celebration of hometown pride, Rainbow Cone has partnered with the Chicago White Sox on the newly launched “Winning Inning” promotion, bringing together two iconic South Side institutions.

Throughout the 2026 season, the first 15,000 fans who enter Rate Field to attend a White Sox home game receive a special Five-Flavor Game Card. If the White Sox score in the fourth inning, that card can be redeemed for a free small Rainbow Cone at participating Chicagoland locations.

The promotion transforms every fourth inning into a moment of anticipation, tying the energy of the game to a distinctly Chicago treat. Winning cards are valid for 48 hours beginning the day after each qualifying game, with one cone per guest while supplies last.

In the lead-up to its official 100th birthday on August 9, Rainbow Cone will treat Rewards members to a special buy-one-get-one Rainbow Cone offer, giving guests even more reasons to celebrate a century of sliced-and-stacked sweetness. The offer is valid August 3-9 and may be redeemed once at participating locations nationwide.

The party returns to where it all began at Rainbow Cone’s original Beverly location on August 9, where guests ordering the iconic five-flavor cone will have the chance to spin a celebratory prize wheel. Every spin wins, with prizes ranging from free treats and branded merchandise to a private Rainbow Cone Truck party valued at $1,000.

For more information about the history and locations, click here.