Ethel Mertz, best friend to Lucy Ricardo in the television sitcom I Love Lucy, grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and her father owned a soda and sweet shop. Will Potter’s store slogan was, “You can like our cones, but you can’t beat our sodas!” Ethel and her husband Fred Mertz are landlords for tenants Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, and they soon become best friends. I Love Lucy originally aired on CBS from 1951 to 1957, with 180 episodes over six seasons. It was the most-watched show in the United States in four of its six seasons, ending its run at the top for the first time in television history, matched only twice since in 1968 (The Andy Griffith Show) and 1998 (Seinfeld). I Love Lucy won five Emmy Awards and is considered one of, if not the best sitcom in television history.