Our Story
Mariposa Ice Cream started in a small town in upstate New York called Margaretville. It was here that Uncle Dick grew up on a dairy farm and learned the family ice cream recipes from Grandpa Pete. Uncle Dick learned how to milk the cows and tap maple syrup right out of the trees, and then turn all that into ice cream on a 1923 White Mountain hand-crank machine.
Uncle Dick moved from New York out to California while in the Navy, and settled in another small town, Mariposa, just outside of Yosemite National Park. It was here that he opened his first scoop shop on the main street inside the Mariposa Inn. The sidewalk sign is still there today, although the small shop now sells olive oil.
After taking the operation on the road, doing street fairs and festivals all over the western United States, Dick met Anna and settled down in Arizona. They were soon married and sold their property in Mariposa to open up a scoop shop in Anna's hometown, San Diego, CA. The new Normal Heights store opened in the Summer of 2000.
In the 24 years it has been open, Mariposa Ice Cream San Diego has received numerous accolades, not limited to a mention in the New York Times, multiple appearances on the local news, and a Small Business of the Year award from the State Assembly, and of course regular appearances as the best ice cream in San Diego in local publications. We have even scooped for celebrities like Kristen Bell and Will Ferrell.
Tim was just 10 when the San Diego parlor opened but still helped work the cash register on opening day. He started scooping at events soon after and eventually landed at the University of San Diego where he earned a business degree while working at the shop and learning to make ice cream. Having learned the family recipes and taking a short course from the University of Wisconsin on ice cream making, he was ready to help the business grow.
In 2013, we took a big step up the 15 Freeway with the opening of Mariposa Ice Cream Temecula. After growing up there, Tim felt Temecula was the right spot for his first step. In the years since, Mariposa Temecula has become a part of the community and expanded into a bigger space allowing all the ice cream to be made on site.
While Mariposa Temecula was establishing itself in the Inland Empire, another member of the family had set up shop in North County San Diego. In a small stand on the boardwalk in Oceanside, Ben has been elevating happiness since 2010 . He also handles most our outside events which span multiple states and range from Renaissance and street fairs to the annual Pumpkin Patch at Bates Nut Farm and the KAABOO music festival in Del Mar.
Where will you find Mariposa Ice Cream next?