Our History

We are Robert and Lisa Phillips, owners and entrepreneurs. Both Lisa and I have always owned and operated our own consulting firms in addition to working full time jobs. My background was in computers and Lisa's in Personnel. With Lisa's support and confidence, and assistance from family and friends I opened Paradise Frozen Custard in March of 2008.

I chose Washington, Missouri for what I hope is the first of many locations due to it's and Franklin County's civic mindedness and sense of community. The response to Paradise Frozen Custard and our product has been tremendous and we are very grateful. To think, we and our community began this adventure March 1, 2008 in Washington, Missouri. We should be very proud.

We searched long and hard to come up with a mascot that would be accepted by the community and most of all the kids. Igloos, penguins, polar bears and snow are overwhelmingly popular so we wanted to create a unique cross-weather mascot for Paradise Frozen Custard.

In our research we found only one other walrus had been used as a mascot. People questioned our choice but after seeing "J.R. Bucktooth" everyone understood. We created two versions, "J.R. Bucktooth" with and without the hip sunglasses. We find the younger generation gravitates to our non-sunglasses version while teenagers prefer "J.R. Bucktooth" with his sunglasses. We primarily use "J.R. Bucktooth" without the glasses because we believe that allows you the best opportunity to see "J.R.'s" personality.

We reached out to our community and requested our young creative minds from local elementary schools to compete in "Naming our Walrus". Mary Jane McGuire from Borgia Elementary named our walrus "J.J.Bucktooth". Combining Mary's brilliant idea with my official name "James Robert", we agreed upon "J.R. Bucktooth".

J.R. Bucktooth has an official dessert. The dessert begins with a bakery made sponge cake covered with peaches, pile on custard and topped with raspberries. To request the dessert just ask for "J.R. Bucktooth" by name. To receive the dessert without spongecake simply ask for a "Melba". Several dessert shops call it a Peach Melba.