Made in Massachusetts – “Friendly’s” at 75

July 20, 2010 by Marie Posted in Current Events, History 5 Comments

Because a mother – back in 1935 – thought her two sons needed a summer job – Friendly’s Ice Cream Corp is celebrating its 75th anniversary as a family restaurant “where  ice cream makes the meal.” From that first shop opened in Springfield, Massachusetts the business now has 12,000 employees in a chain of 508 restaurants concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S.A.

In a video shown at a recent celebration – ninety-five year old S. Prestley Blake and his ninety-three year old brother said they used to get upset if someone left one of their stores without getting a “Thank You” or “Please Come Again.” It is a lesson he tried to instill in every Friendly’s employee as the chain grew. “Remember the name on the door,” Curtis Blake said. “Always be friendly to every customer.”  And the name remains.

Read the story here in the Springfield Republican and get more information here on the Friendly’s website.

In the Greater Lowell area there are Friendly’s restaurants in Tewksbury, Billerica and Chelmsford.

5 Responses to Made in Massachusetts – “Friendly’s” at 75

  1. John Quealey says:

    Friendlys at Central Plaza was a great stop for a sandwich and a cup of coffee for me over fifty years ago.

  2. Marie says:

    John If I remember correctly there was an “mixed group” of senior and junior politicos who gathered at that Friendly’s regularly: Heslin, O’Brien, Deignan and maybe Doyle and some others!

  3. Lynne says:

    When we gamed in Nashua at a friend’s house, we sometimes went to the Friendly’s down the street. My friend’s name for the place: “Lukewarm Acceptance.” Due to the very poor service one usually got. :)

  4. Nancye says:

    I used to love Friendly’s – but the past few times I’ve been to the Acton store, I’ve been disappointed with the cleanliness – or lack of – that I’ve observed.
    Also, the Herald recently reported that Friendly’s current sandwich deal (a double stuffed cheeseburger of some sort) is so overloaded with fat and salt that a single sandwich more than fulfills a whole day’s worth of fat and salt in the diet.
    But they made a holiday Jubilee ice cream roll that my father-in-law always loved. It wasn’t Christmas for him without one. Great memories.

  5. Marie says:

    The Tewksbury location is pretty decent but my all-time favorite Friendly’s for size, food, comfort, cleanliness and friendliness is the Friendly’s in Longmeadow. For seniors there’s always a good breakfast and lunch deal…