Whitey’s Ice Cream is open for business near The Plex area in northern Bettendorf.
The new Whitey’s store at 3491 Forest Grove Drive opened at 10 a.m. today, Monday, Jan. 12, according to company leaders.
Located at the corner of Forest Grove Drive and Devils Glen Road, Whitey’s joins a new business project known as the Glen Grove Development. (A new Hungry Hobo sandwich shop opened in that retail development last month.)
“We have been training our Glen Grove employees at our original Bettendorf location since May 2025 and they are excited to work at their new home store. We expect to have between 35-50 employees employed at this store depending on the season,” according to information from Whitey’s.
Some of the new store’s features include:
- Drive-thru: Whitey’s has updated its drive-thru system for this new location. It has three drive-thru windows, the first two designed to take orders and the third on the opposite side of the building for order pickup.
- Dry ice: The Glen Grove location will have dry ice available for sale. Ask the store manager or supervisor for details.
- Entering the store: Guests can enter the Glen Grove development on Rainforest Drive off either Forest Grove Drive or Devils Glen Road.
- Menu: This location will feature favorite flavors. The only menu change will be that this store does not have a soft drink machine, meaning it will not offer soft drinks, pop floats, sodas or freezes.
The new 2,500-square-foot Whitey’s marks the Moline-based company’s ninth location, and its sixth location to boast a drive-thru.
The store was built as a partnership with Geifman Group, which is the developer of Glen Grove. The new location was announced on June 13, 2025, with the groundbreaking taking place later on June 30.
Whitey’s Ice Cream was founded in 1933 by Chester “Whitey” Lindgren – nicknamed such due to his white-blonde hair. Bob Tunberg started working at Whitey’s Ice Cream in 1935 and eventually bought the business in 1953 with his wife, Norma. Bob and Norma’s sons, Jeff and Jon, joined the family business and eventually became co-owners when their father died in 1991.
Today, there are nine Whitey’s locations throughout Illinois and Iowa and their product is available in grocery store chains across the Midwest. Whitey’s Ice Cream has been named “best in the Midwest” by readers of “Midwest Living Magazine.”
