Historic Orlando ice cream stand vandalized, business says

ORLANDO, Fla. – Goff’s Ice Cream stand, one of Orlando’s most historic businesses to date, was vandalized Wednesday morning, according to the drive-in’s Facebook page.

Goff’s Ice Cream stand posted images from a surveillance camera, showing a man walk behind the building with a bag in his hand moments before smoke was seen coming from the building.

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The Orlando Fire Department responded to the scene but said no criminal investigation is pending.

Surveillance video obtained from a business nearby shows people walking toward the building once it started smoking.

James Drayton, the president of the Lake Lorna Doone Neighborhood Association, said extra eyes will be watching for anything suspicious near the historic building.

“We take it seriously — any kind of break-ins or vandalism, what have you, and we will try to extend our watch to the businesses as well,” Drayton said.

David Brewer said that he has been getting ice cream at Goff’s since he was in first grade, back in the 1950s.

“In the ‘50s, we were segregated, and that was one of the few places that Blacks and whites could really integrate into a line and get served,” Brewer said.

Brewer said after a bombing in 1951, suspected to have been instigated by the Ku Klux Klan, the community continued to show resilience.

“We had the colored, they usually called it colored, and white water foundations. Well, Goff’s didn’t go for that. To think that Goff’s ownership was that progressive in the ‘50s is just phenomenal,” Brewer said.

Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill told News 6 Goff’s is a symbol of equity and inclusion and was saddened to hear it had been vandalized.

Thankfully, despite the damage, Goff’s has remained open to customers.