Aglamesis Bro's facts for kids
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Trade name
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Aglamesis Brother's Ice Cream & Chocolates |
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| Private | |
| Founded | 1908 in Norwood, Ohio |
| Founders | Thomas and Nicholas Aglamesis |
| Headquarters |
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
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Number of locations
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3 (2024) |
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Area served
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Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Products | Ice cream, candy, and Milkshakes |
Aglamesis Brother's, often called Aglamesis, is a famous ice cream shop in Cincinnati, Ohio. It has three locations: in Oakley, Montgomery, and Hamilton, Ohio. Two brothers from Greece started this business in 1908. Besides delicious ice cream, they also sell milkshakes and candy. Today, the grandchildren of one of the founders own and run the company.
Contents
History of Aglamesis Brother's
The company was started by two brothers, Thomas and Nicholas Aglamesis, who came from Greece. Thomas arrived in 1903 from a farm near Sparta, Greece. His brother Nicholas joined him in 1905. They became part of a Greek community in downtown Cincinnati.
Starting the Business
The brothers first worked at a candy shop called Coston's Confectionery. They saved their money to open their own business.
In 1908, they opened their first ice cream shop in Norwood, Ohio. They called it The Metropolitan. In 1913, they opened another shop in nearby Oakley, Cincinnati. The Aglamesis brothers built the Oakley shop themselves. It was one of the first buildings in Oakley Square. They closed the original Norwood location in 1917.
Challenges and Growth
Aglamesis Bro's faced challenges during WWII because sugar was rationed. This meant they had less sugar to make their treats. However, their sales grew a lot after the war ended. Until the 1950s, the Aglamesis family lived above the Oakley shop.
James Aglamesis, Thomas's son, took over the business in 1952. This happened after his father had a stroke. Thomas passed away in 1961, and Nicholas had passed away in 1950. In 1970, a second Aglamesis location opened in Montgomery, Ohio. Today, James's daughter, Dianne Lytle, handles the shops, marketing, and money. Her half-brother, Randal Young, manages making the products and selling them to other businesses. Aglamesis Bro's is now known as one of the few "old-fashioned" ice cream parlors left in Cincinnati.
Original Features of the Oakley Shop
The Oakley location still has many original features from when it opened in 1913. It has the first hand-laid tile floor and a beautiful tin ceiling. Other original items include marble-topped tables, a candy counter, and a soda fountain. The shop also has Tiffany lamps bought in the 1920s. You can sit on classic ice cream parlor chairs with wire backs shaped like hearts.
Why Aglamesis Brother's is Special
Many people and publications have recognized Aglamesis Bro's for being unique.
National Recognition
In 2014, New York Times said Aglamesis was one of the "precious few real ice cream parlors left." They liked its fancy dishes and twisted-wire chairs. The New York Times also mentioned the business three times in their travel articles in 1976, 1988, and 1999. In 2008, Aglamesis Bro's was featured on Modern Marvels on the History Channel.
The Ohio Department of Agriculture noted in 2008 that Aglamesis was the last ice cream shop in Ohio to make its ice cream from scratch. Bon Appétit magazine listed Aglamesis Bro's as one of the "last authentic ice cream parlors in the United States." Chocolatier magazine called their ice cream one of the top 25 in the country. Taste of Home also included them on their list of "America’s Best Soda Fountains."
Famous Visitors and Mentions
Al Gore visited the shop for a photo during his 2000 presidential campaign. A Gibson Greetings birthday card once showed a boy and a girl drinking soda at Aglamesis Bro's.
In 2016, Aglamesis Bro's was part of an exhibit at the National Hellenic Museum. The exhibit was called "Sweet Home Chicago: The History of America’s Candy Capital." It focused on candy culture in Chicago. However, the museum added panels about how Greek immigrants helped create candy and ice cream shops in the U.S. Besides Thomas and Nicholas Aglamesis, other Greek immigrants mentioned were Leo Stefanos (who started the Dove chocolate brand) and Leonidas Kestekides (who founded the chocolate company Leonidas).
Delicious Products
Since 1908, Aglamesis Bro's has made hand-dipped chocolates in addition to ice cream. In 2003, they used about 22,000 pounds (10,000 kg) of chocolate each year for their candies. Their most popular candy is the opera cream. It has a creamy center made of cream, butter, and sugar, covered in dark chocolate. In 1997, The Cincinnati Enquirer named their opera creams the best in Cincinnati. In 1990, James Aglamesis estimated they made about 400 US gallons (1,500 L) of ice cream per week in the summer.
Daniel Neman, a food writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, once said that many Cincinnatians believe Aglamesis Bros. has the best-tasting ice cream. He compared them to the larger local chain, Graeter's.
Aglamesis Locations
As of 2024, Aglamesis Bro's has three locations. The first is the original shop in Oakley Square. A second location opened in the Montgomery Square Shopping Centre in 1970. In July 2024, it was announced that Aglamesis Bro's would open a third shop in Hamilton, Ohio.
