Assemblyman Josh Hoover announced Wednesday that Leatherby’s Family Creamery has been named the 2026 Small Business of the Year for California’s 7th Assembly District.
Since opening its first location on Arden Way in 1982, Leatherby’s Family Creamery has become a Sacramento-area institution known for its ice cream, family-centered values and longstanding commitment to serving the community. What began as a three-generation family business inspired by the Leatherby family’s roots in Iowa has grown into one of the region’s most recognizable local businesses.
Founded by David “Daddy Dave” Leatherby Sr., alongside his father Albert Leatherby and his son David Leatherby Jr., the business was built on a philosophy centered around kindness, generosity and respect. Guided by those values, the Leatherby family transformed a local ice cream shop into a thriving business that continues to bring families together throughout the Sacramento region.
Today, Leatherby’s Family Creamery operates five locations throughout the greater Sacramento area and serves approximately 200,000 customers each month. Known for making its food and ice cream fresh daily using family recipes and high-quality ingredients, the company has developed a loyal following spanning generations of local families. Under the leadership of David Jr., Alan Leatherby and the next generation of the family, the business continues to expand while maintaining the hospitality and atmosphere that defined it from the beginning.
Beyond its business success, Leatherby’s has also become known for its community involvement and charitable giving efforts. The company employs more than 500 young people and regularly supports local schools, sports teams, charities, clubs and nonprofit organizations throughout the region. Through initiatives such as the Daddy Dave’s Deeds of Excellence Program, the company also recognizes students who demonstrate outstanding character and leadership in their schools and communities.
“Leatherby’s Family Creamery exemplifies the very best of what a small business can be,” Hoover said in a statement. “Their commitment to excellence, family values, community service and local investment has strengthened the Sacramento region and positively impacted countless lives over the past four decades. I am proud to recognize Leatherby’s Family Creamery as the 2026 Small Business of the Year for the 7th Assembly District and look forward to seeing their continued success for many years to come.”
Leatherby’s currently operates five locations throughout the region, including its Leatherby’s Family Creamery location in Folsom, along with restaurants in Leatherby’s Family Creamery, Leatherby’s Family Creamery, Leatherby’s Family Creamery and Leatherby’s Family Creamery. More information on locations, menus and hours is available atLeatherby’s Family Creamery.
History rooted in family, tradition and “selling joy”
Founded in 1982 by Dave “Daddy Dave” Leatherby and his wife Sally, Leatherby’s Family Creamery was created with a vision of building a welcoming place where families could gather while also creating jobs and opportunities for their 10 children. From its earliest days, the creamery became known for its oversized sundaes, homemade ice cream and classic American diner-style meals served in a nostalgic family atmosphere.
The first Leatherby’s location opened on Arden Way in Sacramento after Dave Sr., Sally and their son Dave Jr. pooled their resources to launch the business together. Over the years, “Daddy Dave” became widely known not only for the restaurant’s food, but for the way he treated customers like guests in his own home. He often described the business philosophy as not simply selling ice cream, but “selling joy and happiness.”
That family-centered vision remained at the core of the company’s growth. All 10 Leatherby children, along with many grandchildren, have worked within the business through the decades, helping expand the family enterprise into multiple locations across Northern California. Beyond the Sacramento-area stores, a franchise location also continues to operate in Taylorsville, Utah.
The company has also focused heavily on maintaining quality through vertical integration. The Leatherby family operates its own farm, originally established as a walnut orchard before expanding into a 120-acre operation supplying nuts, fruits and other fresh ingredients used throughout the creamery’s recipes.
Community involvement has also remained central to the business model. Leatherby’s has long supported youth sports, school organizations and charitable causes throughout the communities it serves, helping cement its reputation as more than just a restaurant chain, but a deeply rooted community institution.
Dave “Daddy Dave” Leatherby passed away in March 2019 at the age of 81, but the family continues operating the creameries today using the same recipes, traditions and table-service approach that helped make the business a regional favorite for more than four decades.
Hoover represents California’s 7th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Citrus Heights, Folsom and Rancho Cordova, along with the unincorporated communities of Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Foothill Farms, Gold River, Mather, McClellan Park, North Highlands, Orangevale and Rosemont.
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