This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Memorial services are set Saturday for George Lamar Sorenson, the founder of Iceberg Drive Inn who gave a generation of teenagers at Granite High and surrounding schools their first jobs.
In 1959, he started building the original Iceberg location at 3906 S. 900 East in Millcreek, which quickly became an after-school hot spot when it opened the following summer. For 30 years, his hamburger stand was known for made-to-order heaping shakes and malts, its own brand of french fries and hand-breaded, fresh onion rings. Customer lines were long, with 5-cent ice cream cones and nickel flavored soft drinks among the early favorites.
"The Iceberg was a special place. I still run into people who have fond memories of going there," said Jeffrey Saffle, a professor of surgery at the University of Utah who landed his first job at the Iceberg in the 1960s.
"Lamar kept a close eye on us, and held us to a high standard of performance," said Saffle "He encouraged us to take pride in our work, which we did. He taught us about showing up on time and interacting with others. The pay seemed like a lot at the time, $1.15 an hour, and we could eat there for free, and we did eat an awfully lot."
Longtime Tribune reporter Tom Wharton remembers calling Sorenson on a Saturday, asking to be released from his all-day shift to go to his second job so he could cover a state championship basketball game that had been assigned to him only that morning.
"Lamar said it was more important for me to go than to be flipping hamburgers," said Wharton. "He dropped everything and came to work for me because he said writing was probably what I was going to do when I graduated from high school."
Sorenson kept the number of work hours low for students to ensure they wouldn't miss classes or school events. He also started a retirement plan for long-term employees, an unheard-of benefit in the fast-food industry.
In 1990, he sold the business to a Washington-based group that owned the Frontier Pies restaurant, which was adjacent to the Iceberg. The new owners, upset about malt shop customers congregating on the restaurant's parking lot, considered demolishing the stand.
But the Iceberg was still standing in 1996, when Kelly Christensen, his mother, JoLynn, and friend Sherri Cropper purchased seven Utah Frontier Pies locations, including the one next to the corner malt stand on 3900 South. The Christensens, who lived in Holladay, immediately understood the shop's significance to the neighborhood, because, among other things, throughout his years at Skyline High, Kelly Christensen hung out there.
"Kids from Granite High were the No. 1 supporters, but I remember going to the Iceberg after baseball games and other sporting events," he said. "It was the only malt shop around, and the food was great."
It was his mother who had the vision of returning the Iceberg to its glory days. Shakes again were made by hand, using vanilla or chocolate ice cream and a combination of 75 toppings, including fresh fruit, nuts, bubble gum, peanut butter, chocolate chips and, yes, pickles.
The Christensens knew they were on to something when motorists stopped after seeing the original red stripes repainted on the stand's exterior plywood walls. They expanded the concept — including Sorenson's recipes — opening seven company-owned locations in Utah and eight franchises, in Utah, Idaho, California and Arizona.
"Lamar often came by, and we became good friends," said JoLynn Christensen. "He was always happy that people still loved coming here."
Sorenson was born Sept. 16, 1924, in Ephraim to George and Jennie Blain Sorenson. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a business degree after serving at the Presidio in San Francisco during World War II.
He married Pearl Nacenta in 1951 and started his business career with his brother-in-law in Payson, managing the Surf and Turf Cafe and Service Station for five years. The Sorensons moved to Henderson, Nev., where he managed the Polar Queen Drive In, before settling in the Salt Lake area, where he opened the Iceberg.
"It became a big and happy part of his life," said wife Pearl, who taught school for 36 years, including Spanish classes at Skyline High.
Sorenson is survived by his wife, son Tony (Keiko), of Old Greenwich, Conn.; daughter Jan (Greg) Malmberg, of Sandy; and five grandchildren.
Memorial services are set for noon Saturday in the Willowcreek 6th Ward, 8445 S. 2115 East. A visitation is planned at the church from 10 to 11:45 a.m. before the service. Interment is at Larkin Sunset Gardens Mausoleum.
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Iceberg Drive Inn
Original location opened in 1960 at 3906 S. 900 East, Millcreek.
Founded by George Lamar Sorenson, who died Nov. 30; memorial is at noon Saturday.
Eatery popular for its creamy shakes and malts and made-from-scratch menu items.
Best known for 5-cent ice cream cones and flavored soft drinks.
Christensen family took over in 1996, and has expanded to 15 locations in four states.