Hey Brothers Ice Cream facts for kids

Hey Brothers Ice Cream was a famous company in Illinois. They made milk and ice cream for many years. They were known for being very clean and making high-quality products.

The Start of Hey Brothers

The story of Hey Brothers began in 1906. A man named Clement Hey bought a milk business. He called it Hey's Milk Depot. A year later, in 1907, Clement's brothers and sisters joined him. Their names were Abram, Ira, Henry, Verna, and Mary. Together, they changed the name to Hey Brothers Milk Depot.

In 1913, the company built a new factory in Sterling, Illinois. It was a very big and modern building. People said it was the best of its kind in northern Illinois!

Amazing Innovations in Dairy

Hey Brothers was always looking for new ways to do things better. In 1937, they built a very special dairy barn. It had the first electronic milking parlor in all of Illinois! This parlor had many cool features:

• Doors that killed flies using electricity.
• Hot and cold running water for cleaning.
• A glass wall that kept the milking area super clean.
• Special vacuum lines for milking cows.
• An electric tank to keep milk cold.

This barn was so special that it was even featured on a tour in 2008!

Helping Farmers Get Better Milk

Starting in the 1930s, Hey Brothers wanted the best milk possible. They helped local farmers by buying electric milk coolers for them. Then, they paid the farmers extra for their milk. This extra money helped farmers pay for the new coolers. It was a win-win for everyone!

A Big Legal Win

In 1937, Hey Brothers had a disagreement with the city of Rockford. Rockford wanted companies to buy an extra license from them, even if they already had a state license. Hey Brothers thought this was unfair.

The highest court in Illinois, the Illinois Supreme Court, agreed with Hey Brothers! They said Rockford's rule was not valid. A local newspaper called this a "very important victory" for businesses. It meant companies outside Rockford didn't need to buy another license just to sell products there.

Growing Across Illinois

Hey Brothers didn't just stay in Sterling. They built more ice cream factories in other Illinois cities. These included Dekalb, Quincy, and Dixon.

Dixon was a special place because it was the childhood home of Ronald Reagan, who later became President of the United States. By the 1980s, Hey Brothers was making a special "Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream" there.

The End of an Era

Over time, big national ice cream brands became very popular. Also, many small neighborhood grocery stores started to close. These changes made it harder for local companies like Hey Brothers to sell their products.

Hey Brothers slowly lost its customers. In the early 1990s, they stopped making ice cream at their Dixon factory. This was the end of their long and respected history.