Charlene McCrea remembers the birthday parties at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. "That was exciting."

Daniel Morris remembers the auditory commotions. "Big noise. Toot, toot, bang bang."

Kimo Mattos remembers the quantity of ice cream. "The thing used to come with plenty, until you couldn't take no more, until you feel kind of sick. Was good."

The Farrell's experience — a fond memory for legions of kama'aina — is no longer relegated to history. The popular family restaurant chain, which had been gone from Hawai'i for nearly 20 years, celebrates its reopening at Windward Mall today.

A second location is slated to open early next year at Pearlridge Center, and more could follow.

Honolulu-based trolley operator E Noa Corp. is reviving Farrell's in Hawai'i, which was an exceptional market for the chain in the 1970s before changes to the concept and ownership just about wiped out the franchise.

Back are the Zoo Sunday with 33 scoops of ice cream delivered on a stretcher, and the other major "belly buster" called The Pig's Trough. There also will be Green River sodas, a candy store, birthday party rooms, self-playing piano and old-fashioned uniforms.

"There's going to be sirens, whistles and drums," said Maki Kuroda, E Noa president. "I'm dying to bring back the old Farrell's. You will get the flavor."

Kailua resident Ted McCrea recalls going to Farrell's in California when he was younger. "I just remember good times. I remember the Zoo, and the Fourth of July hats, and their enthusiasm," he said. "The atmosphere was very upbeat. It made it fun to go into the restaurant. The ice cream wasn't bad either."

NormaJean Shackley from Kane'ohe was a repeat customer at Farrell's restaurants at Ala Moana Center, Pearlridge and Kane'ohe. "I had all my kids' birthday parties there," she said. "It was good fun."

Farrell's was co-founded in 1963 by Robert Farrell in Oregon. He modeled the restaurant after a 1905 ice cream parlor with a Gay Nineties fun atmosphere, according to a history by longtime Farrell's manager Roger Baker whose happyitis.biz Web site is dedicated to Farrell's.

Donald R. Clarke opened the first Hawai'i Farrell's franchise in 1970 at Kahala Mall.

Seven other locations followed, including restaurants in Waikiki and on Maui and Kaua'i.

Hawai'i had the second-highest number of Farrell's restaurants, according to Baker, and produced some of the best sales in the chain.

Marriott Corp. bought the Farrell's corporation in 1972 and roughly doubled the number of restaurants, which numbered roughly 130 at the chain's peak.

But in a 1980 Advertiser interview, Farrell said that the company grew too fast and got away from its original theme, which hurt business.

An investment group bought Farrell's in 1982 and tried to improve the suffering popularity by making more changes, but the plan didn't work. Marriott resumed ownership, and by 1990 nearly all Farrell's restaurants were closed.

California firm Kirin Group bought the rights to Farrell's in 1996 and today operates one location in Santa Clarita, Calif. E Noa acquired a statewide license from Kirin.

Kuroda said the Windward Mall Farrell's won't be exactly the same as the old Farrell's. Some updates include Powerade on the menu. The restaurant, with 125 seats in a former McDonald's location, is also significantly smaller than some of the former locations such as Ala Moana.

Because of Kuroda's connection with E Noa, the main section of seating in the restaurant was built as though it's part of a trolley complete with skylight roof panels, lights and bells.

"Originally we were going to bring a real trolley in here," said E Noa projects coordinator Joseph Crocco. "But figuring out the logistics, it would have been too hard to do. So we ended up making a mock trolley."

Morris, a retiree from Kane'ohe, said he anticipates the drums, kazoos, singing and dancing will bring back the unique dining experience lost when the Farrell's franchise disappeared.

Shackley, who's also retired and lives in the Windward O'ahu neighborhood, said she can't wait to bring her grandchildren to the reborn Farrell's.

Mattos, 35, probably will relive a small-kid-time experience he recalls only vaguely. "It was a good place," he said, vowing to bring his daughter. "She's an ice cream eater."

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.