The first Swensen's Ice Cream Store opened at the corner of Union & Hyde in San Francisco in 1948, and a new American Icon was born. Founder Earle Swensen knew he could succeed if he gave his customers three things... quality, quantity, and value for their money. His recipes called for using only the finest ingredients and exacting ice cream making techniques. By good old fashioned trial and error, Earle Swensen developed a perfect blend to ensure that Swensen's customers would get the maximum taste from each and every flavor.