This 90-Year-Old Ice Cream Chain Hopes To Make A Comeback Amidst Restaurant Closures

It's pretty incredible to think that there's an ice-cream chain that's been operating in the U.S. for so long that your grandparents and perhaps even their parents might have enjoyed a scoop or a double-dipped cone at one of its early locations. Sure, there's a place for instagrammable treats at the kind of independent ice cream shops that always have a line outside, but there's also a place for delicious, dependable ice cream parlors built on tradition and gaudy ice cream cake. And that's what Friendly's is.

Founded in 1935 in Springfield, Massachusetts, this ice cream chain, which also serves a full food menu, is an American institution that's been enjoyed by generations. At its height in the 1970s, the brand boasted over 800 locations all over the East Coast, where it was the first ice cream chain to sell pre-packaged pints in stores. Today, however, Friendly's is in trouble. There are roughly 100 locations remaining in the U.S., with 22 in the brand's home state of Massachusetts, but closures are ongoing.

Most recently, a store in Pembroke, MA, closed its doors for the last time after thirty-eight years of serving ice cream to the local community. But Friendly's isn't ready to give up yet! Speaking on this closure to MassLive, a spokesperson for the company said their team "We hope for a future return. Our vision includes expanding to new locations nationwide".

The Friendly's spokesperson might seem a little optimistic to some, but the executives at the company do have a plan. After two bankruptcies, one in 2011 and one in 2020, Friendly's was acquired by a new owner, Brix Holdings, which plans to change the brand focus and promote the idea of celebrating at Friendly's. This may be a reaction to the recent rise of healthier ice creams and growth in the artisanal ice cream market within the U.S., which are combining to elbow out classic family ice cream parlors like Friendly's.

Additionally, the brand's CEO Sherif Mityas announced in January that the brand plans to move into the Southern market. Friendly's intends to open multiple Texas locations in the next three to five years, along with one Orlando, Florida location. These restaurants will feature the same new lighting, murals, brand colors, and refreshed and extended menu that the company plans to roll out at all its existing stores. Will this be enough to save the ailing chain? It's hard to say. But Friendly's at least has a fighting chance of making it to a hundred under a management team that believes in the brand's potential in a difficult period for chain restaurants in the U.S.