Sad news today regarding the imminent bankruptcy and anticipated demise of Brigham’s as a going concern. Fortunately, the ice cream is still available (Hood bought the recipes and the brand name, and continues to make a pretty tasty mocha almond), and there are also a few franchise stores around (the one on Mass. Ave. in Arlington Heights, for instance, is not affected). Still, it’s a shame. Here’s my modest contribution in limerick form, along with a couple of photos of the Mill Street restaurant in Arlington. Drop your contributions in the comments!
Seems like Brigham’s will need a pallbearer;
its bankruptcy’s the end of an era.
Other stores will be manned which
serve cones or a sandwich,
but you can’t get a frappe at Panera.
Here’s the Mill Street restaurant.
And here’s what used to be the takeout window.
Discuss
15 Comments . Comments are closed.Haven't been there in a very long time ...
We used to always go to the one in Belmont on Belmont Street. Ice cream was great, but I can still taste the Raspberry Lime Rickeys.
I'm not sure
whether that is a franchise store. I think it probably is, so it's probably still open. (I was there about a week ago.)
Thanks ...
Now that it's in my head, I'm going to be making a stop soon.
Belmont is independently owned
and will remain open no matter what happens to the Brighams corporation
Thanks ..
Good news.
I once knew a man from Nantucket...
that's for you, Ernie.
Still the best chocolate chip n/t
More memories than calories are lost.
Mum stopping with us at the Brigham's after shopping in Boston. The teen date. Stopping for a frappe for hospitalized loved ones. Stopping with our own kids after shopping.
{sigh}
Somehow a limerick seems trite
especially given the ugly story.
Deal Matrix's whole business model for Brighams was never to run an ice cream store. It was to rip off the employees and landlords until they got shut down.
Which they did, and they are.
This one feels strangely apt:
Call the roller of big cigars, The muscular one, and bid him whip In kitchen cups concupiscent curds. Let the wenches dawdle in such dress As they are used to wear, and let the boys Bring flowers in last month's newspapers. Let be be finale of seem. The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.
Take from the dresser of deal, Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet On which she embroidered fantails once And spread it so as to cover her face. If her horny feet protrude, they come To show how cold she is, and dumb. Let the lamp affix its beam. The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream
Winchester Brigham's...gone but not forgotten
Brigham's in Winchester Center...long gone, but the memories survive...mocha almond, peppermint stick and the only vanilla worthy of the name...black & white sodas...vanilla cokes...hot butterscotch and fudge sauce...raspberry lime rickys...the thrill is gone!
Sad a lotta good memories
I have a lotta good memories at various Brighams. My parents would take me to that one in the photos a lot since its the closest one to our N. Cambridge home. On Friday nights classic car collectors would get together and show off their hot rods, Corvettes, T-Birds, and other great classics while we got to sip on our rickeys or eat the best ice cream on the planet. Brighams is the best bar none. Hell last time I visited my dentist nearby I went there to get a rickey, even though it was December, just because they don't make raspberry lime rickeys in Chicago and they definitely don't make ice cream like Brighams out here.
The one in Medford Square (now called Colleens though it serves Brighams) was where my dad and I would go sometimes after hitting golf balls on the Fells and get a cone or a rickey.
The one in the Heights was always owned by this really nice immigrant couple who would make a lot of great off the menu sandwhiches upon request. And the one in Belmont was where my dad and I cooled off after a round at Oakley. Glad to see a few are still around.
I wonder if my kids birthday club card is still redeemable?
Colleen's in Medford Square
is still in business but no longer sells Brigham's ice cream.
Are you sure?
I'm pretty sure I bought me a quart of mocha almond there not too long ago. Unless this is a very recent change, I think you must be thinking of somewhere else.
Brigham's
It seemed from the Globe article that the Brigham's in Arlington Heights was also closed--with no notice. The boy wonder who owns it sounds like a Pagliucca in training.
No -
I was just there. Arlington Heights (corner of Mass. Ave. and Park Ave.) is still open. The one off of Mill St. is the one that closed.
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