5 Classic Ice Cream Chains That Closed Down And A Few Still Hanging On

There is something incredibly nostalgic about enjoying a classic scoop of ice cream from your favorite shop. Since the first ice cream parlor was opened in the United States in the late 1700s, ice cream has become a classic American treat, perfect for beating the summertime heat and satisfying customers of all ages. While some ice cream chains like Ben & Jerry's, Häagen-Dazs, Baskin-Robbins, and Dairy Queen still remain popular today, there are several major chains that have sadly faced a different fate.

All around the world, ice cream chains like Farrell's, Swensen's, and Bresler's 33 Flavors once served up sweet treats and wholesome family memories. However, due to changing tastes, corporate adjustments, and increasing competition, these chains — along with five others — are now either closed entirely or barely hanging on. In this article, we will take a look at what happened to these classic ice cream chains that resulted in their unfortunate downfall.

After opening in 1970, the iconic Australian ice cream company, Dairy Bell, became a national favorite. Founded by Andre Razums and John Stanford, this Melbourne-based company was known for serving up classic cones of ice cream as well as delicious milkshakes. Partially due to the hot climate of Australia, Dairy Bell Ice Cream became a tradition and a much needed respite for many families around the country.

In 2015, tragedy struck when it was announced that all Dairy Bell locations would be closing their doors after 45 years of business. According to Razums, the chain was struggling to keep up with the rising costs of wages in Australia. When speaking to the The Sydney Morning Herald, he said: "We can't sell $3 ice cream when the hand that scoops that bit of ice cream is getting paid $30 an hour."

After announcing the closing, the Dairy Bell brand was bought by Aurora Foods, which currently still makes and serves ice cream labeled as Dairy Bell. While the legacy of Dairy Bell does live on at a smaller scale, it's clear the company's rich history is forever changed by this devastating closure.

At one time, Massachusetts based Steve's Ice Cream was a thriving chain and a staple of the local community. The original location, which opened in Somerville in 1973, gained a following for their delicious and gourmet ice cream sundaes, which were made in small-batches. Steve's Ice Cream was also famous for their "mix-ins," which allowed customers to add candy and cookies into their ice cream. This concept would go on to be adopted by several other ice cream chains in the years to come, and it is even credited as being an inspiration for the founders of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.

After becoming a chain in 1977, Steve's Ice Cream had many years of success. Unfortunately, things changed after a new owner stepped in, and the franchise closed in the 1990s. While Steve's Ice Cream did get a revival in 2011, in 2017 the business that owned and operated Steve's Ice Cream filed for bankruptcy. Steve's Ice Cream parlors were closed, but the product itself did not disappear entirely. Steve Herrell, who created Steve's Ice Cream, opened a new business way back in 1980 called Herrell's Ice Cream, which is still open today. While the original Steve's Ice Cream chain is closed indefinitely, Steve Herrell got his happy ending after all.

Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour was founded by Robert Farrell in 1963 in the city of Portland, Oregon. Dining at Farrell's was a truly classic experience, which included singing waiters, massive portions, and old-fashioned decor. The store was a massive hit among customers, which encouraged the business to open 50 more locations in several cities on the West Coast. 

The success of Farrell's didn't stop there. After being purchased by the Marriott Corporation in 1971, the chain grew to include more than 130 locations nationwide. Over the years, Farrell's gained a dedicated following from fans who appreciated its classic charm and indulgent treats such as their "Hot Fudge Volcano."

In 1985, an investment group out of San Francisco bought the chain from the Marriott Corporation, thus signaling the beginning of the end. By 1990, the majority of Farrell's locations had closed, and even a 2009 attempt by another company to revive it was unsuccessful. In June of 2019, the final Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour location closed down in Brea, California, and the chain has been closed ever since. The owner still holds out hope that the brand could be reworked and brought back to life in the future, telling The Orange County Register: "I'll put it on the shelf and wait for the right window."

While Borden's Ice Cream is no longer a chain, it is still holding on as a small business in Lafayette, Louisiana. The first Borden's Ice Cream Shoppe opened in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1940, where it quickly became a local favorite. The shop was created to sell Borden Ice Cream, which was a popular product made by the Borden Company. After the success of the first shop, many locations of the Borden's Ice Cream opened in the Louisiana area and around the country. 

Unfortunately, the popularity of the Borden's Ice Cream Shoppe franchise locations didn't last long. Eventually all of the ice cream locations closed, except for one location which still stands in Louisiana that was inherited by the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1981. In 2009, the shop was purchased by the Lerille family, who has operated it since. The shop still serves the classic menu in a now dated interior — and it has become an iconic landmark for travelers visiting the area.

In 1948, Earle Swensen founded Swensen's after he learned to make ice cream while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. The first shops opened in San Francisco, and eventually grew to impressive assortment of 180 flavors. The store's motto was "Good as Father Used to Make," and soon after began serving other frozen desserts as well as food later on.

In the 1970s, Swensen sold the franchise to investors, who went on to expand to more than 400 locations around the world. Swensen's also gained attention from being featured in films like "The Goonies," and in the television show "Seinfeld." Unfortunately, that popularity began to change in the 1990s, and half of the locations closed. While that trend continued, there are still locations around the world. And as of this publishing, only one location exists in the United States ... the original store in San Francisco, which is still hanging on as the last remnant of this once thriving franchise. 

Bresler's 33 Flavors was founded in 1927 by William J. Bresler, a Polish immigrant with a passion for restaurants. The business was a big success, and at one point had 300 stores nationwide. In 1987, Oberweis Dairy bought the chain and rebranded it from Bresler's 33 Flavors to Bresler's Ice Cream.

In addition to the name change, the restaurant also added frozen yogurt to the menu as an attempt to compete with TCBY and other successful frozen yogurt chains. The company thrived and expanded to more than 300 locations worldwide, but the many changes in ownership did make things complicated for the company to remain strong. Eventually, Bresler's Ice Cream was completely rebranded after being acquired by CoolBrands in 1995. By 2007, none of the original stores remained, leaving this chain a distant memory for fans. 

In 1914, Brigham's Ice Cream was founded in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts. The first ice cream shop, which sold scoops for only five cents, became a crowd favorite and quickly grew fans. By 1929, Brigham's Ice Cream had merged with the Durand Company. In the decade to follow, the company opened dozens of new locations.

Brigham's Ice Cream would go on to be acquired by several different companies throughout the next decades, and with each acquisition the company continued to expand. The company stood out by offering novelty items like the Brigham's Ice Cream Bar and frozen-yogurt. During the height of its success, Brigham's Ice Cream had 100 locations nationwide. Unfortunately, that started to change as time went on, and in 2009, financial stress caused the company to file for bankruptcy. In the years to follow, all remaining franchise locations closed as well, and now the only way to enjoy Brigham's Ice Cream is in select grocery stores.

At one time, Jahn's Family Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor was a New York City landmark. In 1897, John Jahn opened his first location at 138th Street and Alexander Avenue in the Bronx. The ice cream parlor became iconic, and years later Jahn's children expanded the restaurant to three new locations in the city. More locations continued to pop up around Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, New Jersey, Long Island, Eastchester, and eventually in Florida as well.

Jahn's was known for the unconventional menu items such as the Kitchen Sink Sundae as well as other unique options called the Boilermaker, Screwball's Delight, and the Joe Sent Me. Unfortunately, the expansion did not fare well for Jahn's, and over the years most of the locations began to close. In 2007, the Richmond Hill location shut its doors, leaving only the one location in Jackson Heights, Queens left in service today. Like Jahn's, the other ice cream chains on this list now live on mostly in the memories of the customers who once experienced them in their bygone glory.