Brigham's Ice Cream facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | food manufacturer |
| Founded | 1914 in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts |
| Defunct | 2013 (as restaurant chain) |
| Headquarters | Lynnfield, Massachusetts, United States |
| Products | ice cream |
| Parent | HP Hood LLC |
Brigham's Ice Cream is a well-known brand of ice cream from New England. It used to be a chain of restaurants, but now it's mainly sold in stores. You can find Brigham's ice cream in large containers called quarts all over New England.
The company started in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts. Today, Brigham's ice cream is owned and made by a company called HP Hood. Brigham's is known for using local words, like "wicked" (which means "very" or "extremely"). They also call a milkshake with ice cream a "frappe." At one point, there were 100 Brigham's restaurants. The last one closed in 2013.
Contents
The Sweet History of Brigham's Ice Cream
Brigham's was started in 1914 by Edward L. Brigham. He opened his first shop in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts. In the back of his store, he made all the ice cream and candy himself.
Early Days and Growing Popularity
When Brigham's first opened, a scoop of ice cream cost only five cents! A sundae was 20 cents. The ice cream quickly became super popular. So many people wanted to visit on weekends that the local police sometimes had to help manage the crowds!
In 1929, Brigham's joined with another company called Symmes' Durand. This helped them open three more stores and a bigger factory to make ice cream. Through the 1930s and 1940s, the business grew a lot. They opened 20 new stores during this time.
Changes and New Owners
Over the years, Brigham's was bought by different companies. In 1961, Star Market bought Brigham's. They opened 40 new stores. These new places offered sandwiches along with the famous ice cream.
In 1983, Brigham's started selling its ice cream in quart containers in grocery stores. This made it easy for people to enjoy Brigham's at home. Today, you can find their ice cream in almost every major supermarket in New England.
New Products and a Big Change
In 1993, Brigham's bought a frozen yogurt company called Élan. This helped them add new items to their menu. It also allowed them to sell their products in new areas, like New York. In 2003, they launched their first ice cream bar.
A big change happened in 2008. The Brigham's company was split into two parts. HP Hood LLC bought the Brigham's brand name. This included all the ice cream products, flavors, and recipes. The 28 Brigham's restaurants were sold to a different company.
The End of the Restaurants
After the company split, the Brigham's restaurants faced challenges. In 2009, the company that owned the restaurants went out of business. This meant all the company-owned restaurants closed.
A few Brigham's restaurants that were owned by franchisees (independent owners) stayed open until 2013. But eventually, these last four locations had to change their names. For example, the one in Arlington Heights became "Diggums."
Today, HP Hood continues to make and sell Brigham's ice cream in stores. The brand is still a favorite for many people in New England.
