History
Brigham's was founded in 1914 by Edward L. Brigham in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts. In 1924, Edward Brigham opened an ice cream shop, where he sold ice cream and candy, which he made in the back of the store. Originally, ice cream was sold for five cents and sundaes for 20 cents. Brigham's ice cream became so popular, the local police were called upon to control weekend crowds. In 1929, Brigham's merged with Symmes' Durand Company establishing the basis of today's Brigham's with the opening of three additional stores and an ice cream manufacturing plant. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s business flourished and 20 new stores opened.
In the 1960s, Brigham's merged with Star Markets. Forty new stores ensued offering sandwiches and ice cream in a new colonial-style setting. Later, in 1968, Brigham's merged with the Jewel Companies and then purchased Buttrick's, a small chain of colonial-style restaurants in Arlington, Massachusetts. This location became the Brighams new home office until its sale to HP Hood, at which time this location was closed. At its height, Brigham's had 100 restaurants in the New England area. In 1982, Jewel Companies sold Brigham's to privately held owners. Responding to consumer demands, Brigham's debuted quarts of its ice cream in supermarkets in 1983 and today boasts distribution in every major supermarket in New England.
Brigham's bought Élan Frozen Yogurt in 1993, to expanding and improve the menu towards the ever-growing frozen-dessert industry. The purchase enabled Brigham's to enter the New York region as well as additional demographic markets. In 2003, Brigham's launched its first novelty—the Brigham's Ice Cream Bar.
On June 27, 2008, in a secured creditor transaction led by the Company's senior debt holder, Cambridge Savings Bank, Brigham's was split into two companies, and sold to HP Hood LLC and Luke T. Cooper of Deal Metrics, LLC. Hood acquired the Brigham's brand name and all products, proprietary flavors and recipes. In a separate deal, Brigham's agreed to sell its 28 retail outlets and restaurants to Baltimore-based Deal Metrics LLC, through its holding company, New England Food Service, LLC. Pre-packaging of Brigham's Ice Cream for sale in supermarkets was contracted to Friendly Ice Cream of Wilbraham, Massachusetts At that time there were about 21 locations.
Suffering from declining sales during the recession of 2008, the restaurants could not be turned around, and eventually all company-owned restaurants were closed. Franchised locations continued to operate.
Hood, identified as BIC Acquisitions, LLC, continues to market Brigham's ice cream in stores and owns the trademarks and official website.
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