Peabody Ice Cream Man Has Been Spreading Smiles For 71 Years
PEABODY (CBS) - Allan Ganz has been an ice cream legend for generations of Peabody kids and adults. When WBZ-TV rode with him on Friday, we learned right away, that everybody loves Allan.
Kids at a summer program chant his name and run for his ice cream truck. "He's really nice and he's got a lot of ice cream," says one little girl.
At 81 you'd think Ganz would take it easy. "I'm on the truck from 11 in the morning to almost nine at night. But spending time with Allan, you know this is more than a job. "You see the smile on these kids faces, it's worth a million dollars," he says.
Allan's father was an ice cream legend, too. "When I was 10 years old my Dad was in the ice cream business and I rode with him for years," Allan says.
And he kept riding. "This is my 71st year all together," he says.
Ice cream is everything. Allan even met his wife at an ice cream parlor. "She made me what I am today, broke," he says laughing.
Every summer he's a fixture on Peabody streets. "Everybody knows Allan. Allan covers every event we have in the city. He's the best," says longtime customer Mary Bellavance.
And he knows his regulars, like a group of guys at a Peabody gas station. "He comes every single day. We're like kids. We run right out," says Joe Lebaron.
Allan is the proud holder of the Guinness World Record for having the longest career as an ice cream man. "I've never found an ice cream that doesn't like me," Allan says patting his stomach. "And that's the scoop."
After 71 years, this could be Allan's last summer selling ice cream full time. He may sell his truck, but pledges to work at least one day a week for the new owner.
