Hey there, friend. Do you remember that sweet smell of fresh ice cream wafting through a store? The kind that makes your mouth water just thinking about it? For many of us, especially out West, that smell came from Thrifty Ice Cream.
Those big, round scoops pressed into a cone for just a buck. Or maybe you grabbed a pint to take home. It was simple joy. Pure treat. But now, it’s changing fast.
In May 2025, big news hit. Rite Aid, the store that sold Thrifty Ice Cream, filed for bankruptcy again. Chapter 11, they call it. That means big money troubles.
It forced the ice cream chain to close 500 locations. Yes, 500 spots where you could get that creamy goodness right in the store. No more counters at the back of Rite Aid shops.
Fans cried out. “Not Thrifty!” they said on social media. Kids who grew up on it felt sad. Parents too. It was like losing a piece of home.
But wait. This story isn’t all doom. It’s October 11, 2025, now. Five months later. Things have shifted. Rite Aid shut every last store just last week.
All 63 years of business, gone. Yet Thrifty? It’s bouncing back. New owners stepped in. They bought the brand for 19.2 million bucks. Plans for more shops. New flavors, even. This article dives deep. We’ll look at the rise. The fall.
And the hope ahead. Because bankruptcy forces an ice cream chain to close 500 locations, sure. But legacies like Thrifty Ice Cream? They don’t melt away easily.
Let’s start at the beginning. Picture sunny Southern California. The year is 1929. Two brothers, Harry and Robert Borun, open a little drug store. They call it Thrifty.
Times are tough. The Great Depression hit hard. Folks need cheap stuff. So, they sell basics. Toothpaste. Soda. And ice cream. Not fancy kinds. Just good, simple scoops.
They called it “poor man’s ice cream.” Delivered in plain boxes. No frills. But oh, the taste. Creamy. Rich. Made with fresh milk from local farms.
By 1933, Thrifty Ice Cream stood on its own. The brothers focus on it. They built a small plant in Los Angeles. Workers churn batches by hand.
Flavors? Basic but bold. Vanilla. Chocolate. Strawberry. Then fun ones pop up. Rocky Road. That’s a hit. Nuts and marshmallows mixed in.
Concord grape-pineapple? Weird now, but wild then. Fruit cake flavor for holidays. People line up. Kids press noses to glass cases. Moms buy pints for picnics. Dads grab cones after work.
Word spreads. Thrifty growth. In 1940, they faced a snag. High rent. But they push on. Add more stores. By the 1950s, it’s a West Coast thing.
From San Diego to San Francisco. Even into Arizona. Nevada. The scoops? Famous for shape. Not round balls. Pressed flat into cones.
Like hockey pucks. Why? Saves time. Packs tight. But tastes the same. Cold and smooth on your tongue.
In 1962, Rite Aid was started. A small chain in Pennsylvania. It grows fast. Buys Thrifty Drug in 1996. Wait, Thrifty Drug? Yep. The ice cream came with the deal.
Rite Aid keeps the brand alive. Puts counters in stores. You shop for pills. Grab milk. Then, treat yourself to a scoop. It’s genius.
Draws families in. Boosts sales. Thrifty wins awards. Best creamy texture. Most affordable. Pints for under two bucks. Cones for a dollar.
The El Monte factory? Heart of it all. Built in 1976. 55,000 square feet. Machines hum day and night. Milk from dairies nearby. Sugar. Vanilla beans.
All mixed just right. Workers test batches. Too sweet? Adjust. Too icy? Cream it up. By the 1980s, Thrifty hit stores beyond Rite Aid.
Safeway. Vons. Even some gas stations. Packaged ice cream distribution booms. Folks far from California get a taste.
Cultural icon? You bet. Movies show it. Kids in “E.T.” beg for ice cream. Not Thrifty, but close enough. Beach days in LA. Thrifty cones melt slowly in the sun. Birthdays. Church fairs. It’s there. Nostalgic California ice cream at its best.
Remember summer nights? Bike to Rite Aid. Pocket change. One scoop each. Lick fast before it drips. Laughing with friends. That’s Thrifty magic.
But legacy goes deeper. Jobs. Thousands of years. Families fed. In tough times, like COVID in 2020, Thrifty stayed open. Essential treat. Boosted spirits.
Economic fallout hit restaurants hard. Ice cream shops shut. But Thrifty? Counters kept scooping. Until now. Learn more about how much a pharmacy tech makes in healthcare and retail here.
Flavors tell stories, too. Classic Rocky Road. Born in 1929. Invented by Wm. Dreyer. But Thrifty makes it their own. Bigger chunks. More chocolate. Mint chip? Cool and crisp. For hot days. Strawberry? Fresh like fields. They add twists. Pumpkin spice in fall. Eggnog for winter. Fans vote online. New ones win spots.
Awards pile up. In the 2000s, “Best Ice Cream in America” nods. From magazines. Food shows. Creamy texture wins hearts.
No air whipped in. Dense. Real. Affordable prices seal it. Dollar cone in the 2020s? Rare. Competitors charge three. Thrifty stays true. Poor man’s ice cream, upgraded.
Communities lean on it. In El Monte, a factory employs hundreds. Local pride. Tours for schools. Kids learn churning. In San Diego, counters buzz.
Teens after school. Seniors chatting. It’s glue. When Rite Aid bought in ’96, the promise held. Keep Thrifty pure. No big changes. Just growth.
For those wondering about career paths, explore how to become an MRI tech here. By the 2010s, challenges brewed.
Online shopping. Amazon delivers treats. Big chains like CVS fight hard. Rite Aid slips. Debt grows. Opioid lawsuits sting. The 2023 bankruptcy first. Close 400 stores. Thrifty, safe then. But cracks show.
Still, fans fight back. Social media groups. “Save Thrifty Ice Cream.” Petitions. Shares of old photos. One lady posts: “Grew up on it. My kids, too. Don’t let it go.” Thousands like it. It’s more than food. It’s a memory.
In factories, legacy lives. Old recipes are locked safe. Passed down. Grandkids of founders watch now.
Pride swells. “We made it last,” they say. From Depression scoops to modern pints. Thrifty Ice Cream history? It’s America’s sweet story. Simple. Tasty. Timeless.
The Rise and Legacy of Thrifty Ice Cream
Let’s dig even deeper into how Thrifty Ice Cream became a true legend. Back in those early days of 1929, the Borun brothers didn’t set out to make the world’s best frozen dessert.
They just wanted to sell something fun in their drugstore to bring folks in. Ice cream was cheap to make and easy to love. But what started as a side gig turned into a powerhouse.
Think about the El Monte manufacturing facility. That place wasn’t just a factory. It was like a big kitchen for dreams. Opened in 1976, it cranked out millions of gallons each year. Workers there had stories of their own.
One old-timer might tell you about mixing the first batch of Rocky Road by hand, adding extra marshmallows because “kids like surprises.” Another recalls the smell of fresh vanilla filling the air on hot summer days, making the whole neighborhood hungry.
By the 1950s, Thrifty wasn’t just local anymore. It spread like wildfire across the West. Stores popped up in dusty Arizona towns where the ice cream was the coolest thing around. In Vegas, it cooled off gamblers after a hot night.
And in California, it became part of the dream. Hollywood stars whispered about it. Regular folks shouted about it. That flat-top scoop? It wasn’t just a trick. It was a sign of quality. Packed full, no air, all flavor.
When Rite Aid took over in 1996, it got more than stores. They got a heart. Thrifty PayLess came with 1,000 spots and that famous ice cream brand.
Rite Aid smartly kept the counters. Why? Because ice cream draws crowds. A mom picking up cough syrup might add a cone for the kid.
A teen grabbing snacks stays for a chat over Mint Chip. Sales jumped. Loyalty grew. Thrifty became the sweet spot in every store.
Awards? Oh, they kept coming. Gold medals at the LA County Fair since 1954. “Creamiest texture,” judges said. “Best value,” fans agreed. And the flavors? They evolved with the times. In the ’70s, cult status hit. Celebrities shouted it out.
By the ’80s, packaged ice cream distribution reached shelves nationwide. Pints in freezers at big grocers. Tubs for parties. Even exports to Mexico, where it cooled border towns.
Nostalgic California ice cream? That’s Thrifty to a T. Remember road trips down Highway 1? Stopping at a Rite Aid for a scoop while the ocean waves crash.
Or family barbecues with a tub of strawberries on the side. It’s woven into our lives. During the COVID economic fallout, when restaurants closed, Thrifty stayed.
A safe scoop behind plexiglass. Comfort in a cone. Beloved American dessert brands like this don’t fade easily. Learn about community support like the Kentucky Counselling Center here.
But it’s the people who make the legacy. Factory workers in El Monte. Scoop artists in stores. They weren’t just employees. They were keepers of joy.
One story from a fan: “My grandma worked the counter in the ’60s. She’d sneak extra sprinkles for shy kids.” That’s the heart. Thrifty Ice Cream’s history is full of those bits. Simple acts that stick.
And the in-store ice cream counters? Magic spots. Bright lights. Cold glass. Flavors lined up like soldiers. Vanilla smooth as silk.
Chocolate as deep as night. Rocky Road with surprises in every bite. Folks lingered. Talked. Laughed. It wasn’t just ice cream. It was a community.
Today, as we look back, that rise feels like a fairy tale. From Depression-era scoops to Rite Aid shelves. Thrifty proved good things last. Even when times got tough. It taught us flavor isn’t just taste. It’s a memory. Shared. Passed down. And now, with changes coming, that legacy shines brighter.
Rite Aid’s Bankruptcy Fallout: What Led to the Closures
Now, the hard part. Rite Aid’s Bankruptcy 2025. How did a giant like this fall? And how did it drag Thrifty Ice Cream down with it? Let’s break it step by step. No jargon. Just facts.
Rite Aid started in 1962. Scranton, Pennsylvania. A single store. Grew to 4,700 by the ’90s. Peak power. But trouble brewed early. Big buys added debt. Like snapping up Brooks Eckerd in 2007. $2.3 billion cost. Good on paper. Tough in real life.
Then, the opioid storm. Thousands of lawsuits. Rite Aid accused of filling bad scripts. Fines hit hard. $30 million in 2017 alone. More came. By 2023, it snapped. First Chapter 11 filing. October 27, 2023. Cut $2 billion in debt. Closed 154 stores. Thrifty, safe. Fans breathed easy.
But peace is short. Lawsuits restarted. Cash dried. Retail shifted. Amazon pills by mail. CVS and Walgreens gobbled the market. Rite Aid lagged. Foot traffic dropped. Theft rose. Inflation bit.
May 5, 2025. Second filing. Case 25-14861. New Jersey court. Assets $3.2 billion. Liabilities $3.5 billion. $750 million loss prior year. Sought $1.94 billion loan to run.
Plan? Sell everything. Fast. Under Section 363. Bidding wars. Pharmacies first. Then rest. Including Thrifty. Bankruptcy forces ice cream chains to close 500 locations. Counters in 1,200 stores. Half axed. California hit the worst. 200 gone. Arizona 100.
Economic Triggers: How Insolvency Compelled the Shutdowns
Why so bad? Pharmacy retail closures 2025. Bigger waves. Rite Aid joins Bed Bath. Party City. All bankrupt. Inflation squeezed shoppers. Online rivals stole share. Ice cream shop shutdowns 2025. Not just Thrifty. But nostalgia punches hardest.
CEO Matt Schroeder said, “Tough call. Focus core. Sell extras.” Thrifty? Extra now. Chapter 11 Asset Sale. Bids in June. Rite Aid is down to 1,240 stores by filing. Planned full wind-down by mid-year. But dragged to October.
Impact on Employees and Communities: The Human Side
Jobs? Thousands lost. Scoop folks. Managers. Suppliers. Milk farms cut contracts. El Monte idled. One worker: “Scooped 20 years. Now what?” Views exploded.
Towns hurt. Rite Aid anchors. Now ghosts. Prescription chaos. Transfers to CVS. Walgreens. Lines are long. Kids miss cones. Parents explain: “The store’s sick. Closing.”
Social storm. X buzz: “Rite Aid Thrifty Ice Cream brand faces closure.” Reddit: “Save Thrifty!” “Greatest ever. Gone?” Newsweek: Cult end. Yahoo Finance: “Popular Ice Cream Chain Thrifty Closing 500.”
For context on healthcare industry tools, see essential medical equipment.
By June, auctions. Hilrod Holdings wins Thrifty. Tied to Monster Energy bosses. $19.2 million. Approved July 1. Recipes safe. Factory too.
Rite Aid? Deeper sink. August sales. Pharmacies to grocers. September talks. October 3: End. “Rite Aid officially closes all.” 89 stores left. Now zero. 60-year run over.
Five months on. Dust settles. Empty lots. But ripples? Pharmacy chains shake. Walgreens cuts. CVS too. 1,000 closures total. 50,000 jobs gone. Towns scramble.
Rite Aid bankruptcy teaches. Evolve or fade. Brick to click. Thrifty? Bright spot. Icons endure. Sell smart. Innovate. Check out lifestyle parallels like Milan Fashion Week 2025 for cultural impact.
Future Prospects: Survival Odds and Alternatives for Fans
Look ahead. Thrifty Ice Cream’s Survival Odds? High. August 8, 2025. Big news. “Come back with expansion, new flavors.” Hilrod Holdings owns it. Keep recipes. Originals intact. Rocky Road same. But adds. Matcha green tea? For health fans. Vegan scoops? Plant-based. Broader reach. Not just West. Target. Kroger. East Coast, too.
Plans? New parlors. Standalone shops. Like old days. Drive-thrus? Maybe. Online order. Pint delivery. Uber Eats links. Fans also check Quick Move-In Homes for a potential relocation strategy for store expansions.
¿El Monte factory? Hums again. Hires back. Tours resume. Community tie.
Fans buzz. Instagram: “Comeback! California staple.” Facebook: “Scoop of history.” Eater LA: “Rescued by Monster parent.”
Challenges? Build sans Rite Aid. Lost share. Rivals like Baskin. Cold Stone. But edge? Price. Legacy. Puck charm.
Investor opportunities. Post-closure innovation. Online pivot. Subscriptions? Monthly points. Apps for loyalty.
For fans now? Alternatives for new spots. Home churn. Recipes online. Dreyer’s close. But not Thrifty cream.
Five months later? Odds are strong. Rite Aid is gone. Thrifty rises. Phoenix. Sweet one.
Conclusion
In the end, bankruptcy forces the ice cream chain to close 500 locations. Hurts deep. Mark’s end of era for Thrifty Ice Cream under Rite Aid.
But hints at an enduring legacy. From 1929 scoops to 2025 revival. Iconic chain Rite Aid fallout? Tough lesson. But Thrifty? Sweeter future.Share your Thrifty memory below. Rocky Road fan? Mint? Tell us. Follow for updates on pharmacy retail closures 2025.
