Up next in 10
Paula sits down with Stratton Leopold, a dear friend and owner of Savannah, GA's famous Leopold's Ice Cream. They chat about everything from ice cream, caramel, and cakes to Hollywood and making movies!
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0:00
well hey there friends I'm here today
0:04
with Stratton Leopold you know he's my
0:07
dear friend owns Leopold's ice cream his
0:10
father started the business his older
0:14
brother yes yes almost a hundred years
0:16
ago y'all Stratton looks good to be a
0:19
hundred days well I try to so tell me
0:24
what else you know we're just so excited
0:26
I gave you your offering ice cream
0:30
around the world we're shipping well
0:31
we're just talkin that neither cream you
0:34
have ever put in your mouth y'all thank
0:37
you know we have built a Creamery uh-huh
0:40
so now we're we have been for the last
0:42
several months shipping across the
0:44
country some big customers in Las Vegas
0:47
and California both and what did you say
0:50
about Tom Cruise no we shipped we ship
0:53
for Thanksgiving we ship some to London
0:55
he was filming there no yeah well the
0:58
way got there too were shipped to New
1:00
York and his plane happened to be there
1:02
oh my goodness uh if y'all have ever
1:06
seen Stratton and me together you know
1:09
I've told you that
1:11
Savannah lost him for good long wild on
1:13
Hollywood he went on to Hollywood to be
1:16
a big producer especially a lot of Tom
1:20
Cruise's movies well so they became
1:23
friends over the years
1:24
and I was at Paramount for about 12
1:26
years films here but my love was always
1:29
Savannah and thank goodness yes I was so
1:32
glad you came back home oh I am as well
1:34
oh the the ice-cream shop is located on
1:38
Broughton stris yes ah it's like
1:41
historic district yes and you can always
1:43
see a line there and you also offer
1:46
wonderful sandwiches I understand we do
1:48
I always think about ice cream though
1:50
when I hear well alright now where did
1:54
you build your factory we bought a
1:56
building in Savannah on 37th and price
1:59
streets yeah it's about five so it's
2:01
really downtown it is downtown as well
2:03
and we manufacture everything the same
2:06
way small five gallon batches all
2:09
natural ingredients no artificial
2:11
anything please
2:12
we do it the same way there the
2:14
advantage there at larger freezers yeah
2:17
so then I can make more ice cream your
2:19
shop downtown you're like us you're
2:22
limited for space yes it's just busy I
2:25
don't know how big you're you're the
2:28
back part of your business is but it
2:30
couldn't be to do not big enough yes but
2:33
anyway we're very excited about that and
2:35
the shipping part is going well
2:36
we started making ice cream cakes and
2:38
pies no yes you should you should see
2:41
some they're obviously nice cream
2:43
beautifully decorated no yep and you
2:46
found a local person with that kind of
2:48
talent we hired them yes they're on our
2:50
staff now oh yeah yeah but no you found
2:52
them hearing yes we good yeah go strap
2:55
no we're just so excited they're
2:57
beautiful cakes and and it's that's
3:00
gonna that's right now how let me ask
3:02
you this because you know I'm only vine
3:05
and I sell products on a Home Shopping
3:09
Network and I know shipping can
3:12
sometimes be very very expensive have
3:15
you worked it out where the shipping can
3:19
be reasonable for somebody that's got a
3:21
hankerin yes we do we do today we put
3:25
enough dry ice in it so that lowers our
3:27
cost substantially good good because I
3:30
know shipping really affects my sales so
3:36
when we can offer free or reduced
3:38
shipping you know really yeah you can't
3:41
think sales go up well plus what we do
3:43
is well if you order say four pints of
3:46
ice cream we will throw in a fifth one
3:47
free oh that's great again as an
3:50
incentive just yes offset some of it is
3:53
to make people feel like they're really
3:55
getting something and we'll start
3:57
shipping to we make our own caramels and
3:59
fudges and all that we'll start shipping
4:01
that as well it's fun it's a lot of fun
4:04
cause I know in it great ruin all your
4:06
business is like mine you get immediate
4:10
gratification yes yes and I love that
4:13
I've always said I'm so glad I don't
4:15
feel life insurance you know or
4:17
something like that and there's people
4:19
that make a great living the people who
4:21
do this but I love that immediate
4:23
gratification I do is
4:25
were assessing so I understand you've
4:28
got a catalog we're putting together
4:30
something we don't have it's out yet but
4:32
yes we'll have okay
4:33
now how will we be able to know because
4:36
I would love to have one of those
4:37
catalogs well right now everything is
4:40
online and so we will do a yearly go to
4:43
you go to Leopold's ice cream calm okay
4:46
and we have everything there and all the
4:48
shipping information everything is there
4:50
so today we're working on the shipping
4:53
of the cakes now just figuring out
4:55
packaging that we should have it done
4:57
next week or two but it's fun it's great
5:01
fun oh well I'm so happy and I'm so
5:03
proud of you I'm so proud that I can
5:07
call Savannah native who spend so
5:12
blessed with with such a a well-rounded
5:17
life we're proud to call you friend
5:20
likewise too and you don't I've enjoyed
5:23
everything I've done the movies which is
5:25
still a couple of movies I do want to
5:27
make but it is just so much fun to be
5:30
back in Savannah into-into be doing this
5:32
and now and then for you too we're so
5:35
happy to have you so what else is
5:37
happening well just a couple of films I
5:40
want to make but right now the focus is
5:42
Matt Matt Matt Matt Matt don't our
5:45
newest addition Maxis is Stratton you
5:48
can call him mr. Stratton you can it is
5:50
your father that's good
5:52
now focus ánow on the shipping and the
5:55
ice cream cakes not ours Oh gags our
5:58
focus well we've got to take a quick
6:00
break but we'll be right back because I
6:03
want to hear everything okay and it
6:04
sounds good
6:05
and Max as well I think it's so
6:09
important that you're happy with the
6:10
look and feel of your home
6:12
in fact my recommendation is start by
6:15
updating your window treatments with
6:17
Smith & Noble
6:18
Smith & Nobles beautiful handcrafted
6:20
blinds drapes shades and shutters are
6:23
custom made for you you can work
6:25
one-on-one with an expert designer with
6:28
their in-home design serve
6:30
or you can take advantage of their free
6:32
measuring and low cost installation
6:35
services guarantee a perfect fit so
6:38
create a space that you're going to love
6:40
contact Smith and Noble to get my
6:43
special limited time offer y'all 25% off
6:47
on your window treatment plus free
6:49
design consultation but details about my
6:52
special offer just go to Smith &
6:55
noble.com slash Cola back Smith &
6:58
noble.com slash taller or call one eight
7:02
hundred six five nine 3300 that's one
7:06
eight hundred six five nine thirty three
7:09
hundred well yeah we're back yeah and go
7:15
three of your back and occasionally all
7:18
for us exactly alright so Gus if you'll
7:20
lay down buddy
7:21
while I talk Stratton please oh gosh I
7:26
could talk to you all day long Stratton
7:28
so tell me your father was in a building
7:32
on Gwinnett Street right that was his
7:34
original location yes and have you owned
7:37
that building all these oh yes since 19
7:40
since before okay so you never sold it
7:42
when you went off to Hollywood okay and
7:45
tell everybody what you're doing to that
7:46
because when people come to town they
7:48
can do two words can they of course
7:50
tours of manufacturing as well as what
7:52
we have one going at wonder what we're
7:54
going to do is redo brunette in Havisham
7:59
as it was in the 1940s it was a high
8:02
school hangout so we'll have less light
8:05
it really four BC primarily but yes it
8:08
was a hangout so it was the malt shop
8:10
that you expect to see in the movies
8:12
yes so what we're going to do there
8:15
Decker wise is do less of the movie
8:17
things and do more of the period high
8:20
school things in Savannah and of course
8:23
being an inveterate packrat I have my
8:25
letter jacket I have always stuff oh
8:27
yeah
8:28
got my Cheerilee now bring it over bring
8:30
it over do I do it cheer there you go
8:34
it's well that's going to be wonders
8:36
will be fun don't be like stepping back
8:38
in time exactly at a time when I'm
8:41
America was more innocent innocent
8:44
innocent and you you didn't have to walk
8:48
around being fearful of everything yes
8:51
exactly
8:52
well so I'm just can't wait to slip back
8:55
in that time with you well the thing
8:57
about it too
8:57
we're constantly asked to close for
9:00
birthday parties or adult receptions
9:02
even yeah and we can't do that downtown
9:04
it's too busy but at happy Sherman will
9:07
be able to do it that's wonderful and
9:09
you won't have to close down Habersham
9:11
Abby Sherman and win it oh okay I didn't
9:14
realize it was on the corner of an ocean
9:16
okay so you won't have to close down
9:19
you'll have enough space yes and it's a
9:22
second floor that we'll have as well so
9:23
that's wonderful so we're very excited
9:25
yes wonderful all right well you
9:27
mentioned earlier there's still a couple
9:29
of movies yes you want to make it tell
9:31
me what they are
9:31
well the latest one it's a book I think
9:35
I know
9:35
in the sanctuary about guests it's
9:38
called we talked about it at one time
9:41
this is a health talented this is a true
9:44
story happened 22 years ago a man named
9:48
Neil White this one he graduated from
9:50
Ole Miss and he started a magazine there
9:53
in Oxford magazine didn't go well and
9:56
and it failed so he went then down to
9:58
the to the Gulf Coast started a magazine
10:01
they're successful did very well with
10:06
format but New Orleans magazine was
10:08
doing very well the receivables weren't
10:11
coming in as they should and he had to
10:16
do some banks and banking some creative
10:18
banking well it wasn't it wasn't it
10:21
wasn't kosher so he got caught at that
10:24
the here's that here's where the movie
10:26
starts he was sentenced he was convicted
10:29
of bank fraud he's a wonderful man I've
10:31
known Neil now for a little while he was
10:34
hideous lol oh he's in his fifties he's
10:36
young he's young and getting younger
10:39
every day that a Leo B - I think about
10:42
Jeb I didn't he was sentenced to a
10:46
minimum security prison in Carville
10:48
Louisiana which was one half minimum
10:52
security dormitory prison right the
10:54
other half still
10:54
is the United States leper colony no one
10:59
there are people in a leper Hospital EFT
11:02
now because the drugs are better but
11:04
when he was there 20 years ago there
11:06
were 130 patients now and the story is
11:09
about his change in his Redemption as a
11:13
result of these end of these patients
11:17
did he come in contact with these
11:19
patients
11:20
yes he did he wasn't supposed to I was
11:22
gonna say lepers are not supposed to be
11:25
around anybody right that's that's the
11:27
theory no one really knows it contagious
11:30
the only known vector for contagion are
11:33
armadillos am I kidding that's the only
11:36
known work yeah okay we tested this on
11:40
armadillo armadillos carry it SiC
11:43
armadillos will carry now yes yes it's a
11:46
little-known fact I'm sure there are
11:48
other other vectors but now since the
11:50
medicines are getting so much better
11:52
there's not that much research right but
11:54
anyway his life was changed so much he's
11:57
a wonderful man now his what and the
11:59
story is that arc of his life this one
12:02
patient in particular is Ella Zeller
12:04
bounce is her name she's gone now she
12:07
was 80 when he met her 20 years ago
12:09
I want Cicely Tyson that's got talked
12:11
her into playing it because Ella we have
12:14
photographs she had lost her legs she
12:16
had been she had been at Carville since
12:19
age 12 the sadness of their Pola you had
12:23
prominent families in New Orleans who
12:25
just discard these people you have
12:27
leprosy change your name it's so much
12:29
sadness there and Neil wrote about that
12:32
just it's the transition that he made
12:37
from going in from this big big magazine
12:42
he was recognized nationally to becoming
12:45
this really nice guy it's just amazing
12:50
that amazing transition so um those
12:54
valleys cannot always be bad correct
12:58
that's correct
13:00
in fact I'm due to speak at a high
13:02
school graduation and to the points I
13:05
want to make you know you've heard them
13:07
before
13:08
you're about to embark on us for the LA
13:09
yeah I mean since going to tell the can
13:11
tell the seniors tell the graduates
13:13
think of two things embrace change it
13:17
will happen you will always happen to
13:20
both of us yes and people don't like
13:22
change
13:22
but you have to embrace it and the
13:24
second thing is embrace failure because
13:27
goodness knows it's going to happen
13:29
somewhere along your life and you have
13:31
to embrace that good advice that it's
13:35
it's something that that they have to
13:37
think of if you can look back and learn
13:40
from your mistakes that makes them very
13:42
valuable of core values and doesn't it
13:45
yes totally and I know that I've learned
13:50
more from my failures than I have from
13:54
my success yeah well goodness knows when
13:59
I was at Paramount you encounter that
14:01
quite a bit so you have to accept it
14:03
move forward yes yes and when I'm making
14:06
a movie my goodness that the daily the
14:09
daily challenges when especially on the
14:12
larger pictures are and the decision
14:15
decisions have to be made very quickly
14:16
and sometimes the impact is not what you
14:19
expect I think it's so important that
14:22
you're happy with the look and feel of
14:23
your home
14:24
in fact my recommendation is start by
14:27
updating your window treatments with
14:29
Smith & Noble Smith & Nobles beautiful
14:32
handcrafted blinds drapes shades and
14:35
shutters are custom made for you you can
14:37
work one-on-one with an expert designer
14:40
with their in-home design services or
14:43
you can take advantage of their free
14:44
measuring and low cost installation
14:47
services guarantee a perfect fit so
14:51
create a space that you're going to love
14:53
contact Smith & Noble to get my special
14:55
limited time offer y'all 25% off on your
15:00
window treatments plus free design
15:02
consultation but details about my
15:05
special offer just go to Smith &
15:07
noble.com slash taller Beck Smith &
15:10
noble.com slash taller or call one eight
15:14
hundred six five nine
15:17
3300 that's one eight hundred six five
15:20
nine 3300 you're such a wise man
15:25
oh good not only does he make great
15:28
ice-cream y'all he's smart - he looks
15:31
good he smells good
15:32
gum it people liking oh I like I like
15:36
people but love useful and I love you
15:39
strap well I'm so happy for you and all
15:43
your success and the fact that you're
15:45
back home with us and I can't wait to
15:47
visit the Quinet Habersham versus I
15:51
can't leave wait um so how close are you
15:55
to getting that movie made well don't be
15:58
in quest people don't know that there's
16:00
lepers know you're behind don't worry so
16:03
hopefully you'll get that May yes well
16:06
I'm going to Mississippi tomorrow
16:08
actually just yay to talk to some
16:11
attorneys there who would like to get
16:13
involved with it good well thanks so
16:15
much I know you're a really busy man and
16:17
for you to take time out to come visit
16:20
with my friends we appreciate thank you
16:23
and I love you to death darling
16:25
likewise and don't forget the chocolate
16:28
show we did oh I remember you
16:31
you'll have to look that one up ah
16:34
he called my bluff thanks thankful ah
16:40
so if y'all are planning a visit friends
16:44
to Savannah there's a couple of things
16:46
that you have to do and one of those you
16:49
must visit my grandson's favorite
16:52
ice-cream shop Leopold's ice-cream it's
16:54
on Broughton Street and there's a good
16:57
chance you'll see this salt and pepper
17:00
good-looking man standing behind the
17:01
counter with that goofy ice cream add-on
17:03
that would be Stratton
17:05
[Laughter]
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