Ample Hills

Last updated

Ample Hills
Industry Ice cream
Founded2010
FoundersBrian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna
Key people
Brian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna
Website www.amplehills.com

Ample Hills is an American ice cream company. Founded by Brian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna as a pushcart in 2010, the company became known for its "playful" flavors. Their first storefront, in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, opened in 2011, selling out 130 gallons of ice cream in just 4 days. [1] It soon expanded into a chain prominent in New York City, with additional locations at one point in Disney World and Los Angeles. [2]

The company filed for bankruptcy in March 2020 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic due to operating losses from its Red Hook factory, [3] and other self-described business mistakes. [4] Schmitt Industries acquired Ample Hills from bankruptcy for $1 million. [5] The founders signed a lease to open a new ice cream company and shop, the Social, in March 2021. [6] Due to failure to pay rent and expenses, Schmitt Industries closed all Ample Hills locations on December 19, 2022. [7]

Ample Hills reopened in June 2023, with original owners Brian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna having bought it back after it went into receivership. [8] However, by late 2023, the pair had exited the still-operating company. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dumbo, Brooklyn</span> Neighborhood in New York City

Dumbo is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The area used to be known as Gairville. It encompasses two sections: one located between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, which connect Brooklyn to Manhattan across the East River, and another that continues east from the Manhattan Bridge to the Vinegar Hill area. The neighborhood is bounded by Brooklyn Bridge Park to the north, the Brooklyn Bridge to the west, Brooklyn Heights to the south and Vinegar Hill to the east. Dumbo is part of Brooklyn Community Board 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brigham's Ice Cream</span> Brand of ice cream and restaurants

Brigham's Ice Cream is a brand of ice cream and formerly a restaurant franchise. Brigham's is sold in quart containers throughout New England, and was served at franchised restaurants located in Massachusetts until 2013. It was founded in Newton Highlands, Massachusetts. Since the purchase by HP Hood, its offices are located at Kimball Lane, Lynnfield, Massachusetts. The company maintains a strong regional identity, using regional terms such as "wicked" (extremely) and "frappe", and makes reference to events with special significance to New Englanders, such as the Big Dig and the 2004 World Series. At one time, there were 100 Brigham's restaurant locations; the last was in Arlington, Massachusetts, and changed its name in August 2015. The ice cream is currently owned and manufactured by Hood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cookies and cream</span> Ice cream variety flavored with chocolate sandwich cookies

Cookies and cream is a variety of ice cream, milkshake and other desserts that includes chocolate sandwich cookies, with the most popular version containing hand or pre-crumbled cookies from Nabisco's Oreo brand under a licensing agreement. Cookies and cream ice cream generally mixes in crumbled chocolate sandwich cookies into vanilla ice cream, though variations exist which might instead use chocolate, coffee or mint ice cream.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marble Slab Creamery</span> American icecream parlour chain

Marble Slab Creamery is an American chain of ice cream shops owned by FAT Brands. Its corporate offices are in Atlanta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve's Ice Cream</span>

Steve's Ice Cream was an ice cream brand which began as an ice-cream parlor chain owned by Steve Herrell. He opened his first establishment at 191 Elm Street in Somerville, Massachusetts in 1973. Known as the Original Steve's Ice Cream, the business introduced the concept of super-premium ice cream and customized ice cream desserts using the mix-in.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cold Stone Creamery</span> American ice cream chain

Cold Stone Creamery, Inc. is an American international ice cream parlor chain. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, the company is owned and operated by Kahala Brands. The company's main product is premium ice cream made with approximately 12–14% butterfat, made on location and customized for patrons at time of order. Cold Stone has also expanded its menu with other ice cream-related products, including: ice cream cakes, pies, cookie sandwiches, smoothies, shakes, and iced or blended coffee drinks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Gay Ice Cream</span>

Big Gay Ice Cream (BGIC) is a New York City–based company that started with an ice cream truck. At the company’s peak they operated four storefronts in New York City and one in Philadelphia. Co-founded by Doug Quint and Bryan Petroff, BGIC specializes in soft-serve ice cream cones, cups, and novelties with a menu of unique and unusual flavors and toppings. BGIC was part of a wider trend of gourmet and upscale food trucks popular in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory</span> Restaurant in New York, United States

The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is an ice cream shop in Brooklyn, New York City. Its original location was a converted 1922 fireboat house at 1 Water Street, on the Fulton Ferry Landing Pier, in the Dumbo neighborhood near the Brooklyn Bridge. It was replaced by an outpost of the Ample Hills ice cream stores in June 2019. Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory remained in business at a new temporary location in the Greenpoint neighborhood until March 2021, when it reopened across the street from the original location at 14 Old Fulton Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinton Street Baking Company & Restaurant</span> American bakery and restaurant

The Clinton Street Baking Company & Restaurant (CSBC) is an American bakery and restaurant. It is located at 4 Clinton Street, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards</span> Shopping mall in New York City

The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards is an upscale indoor shopping mall in New York City, located at 20 Hudson Yards, at 33rd Street and Tenth Avenue, within the Hudson Yards complex in Midtown Manhattan. It was built with 1 million square feet (93,000 m2) of space, including 750,000 square feet (70,000 m2) in retail. Of this, 445,000 square feet (41,300 m2) was converted to office space in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fifty Licks</span> Ice cream parlor based in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Fifty Licks is an ice cream parlor with several locations in Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream</span> Ice cream parlor based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream is an ice cream parlor with multiple locations in the Seattle metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Washington. The business was founded by chief executive officer Molly Moon Neitzel in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kulfi (restaurant)</span> Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Kulfi is a restaurant with two locations in Portland, Oregon.

Natoora is a high-end greengrocer serving parts of the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Denmark. Founded by Franco Fubini in 2004 as an online produce market for chefs and restaurants, Natoora expanded delivery operations to home cooks in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic via a mobile app. The company also operates a series of brick and mortar shops in London, Brooklyn, and Copenhagen. The company holds a Royal Warrant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Leeuwen Ice Cream</span> American ice cream parlor chain

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is an American ice cream parlor chain.

Tom's Restaurant is a family-owned diner, currently in its third generation, with locations in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn and Coney Island opened in 1936.

References

  1. Gootman, Elissa (June 2, 2011). "So Successful a New Ice Cream Shop Closes After 4 Days". The New York Times. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  2. Kang, Matthew (January 27, 2020). "Ample Hills Creamery closes flagship Los Feliz location after 15 months". Eater LA. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  3. Adams, Erika (March 16, 2020). "Popular Ice Cream Chain Ample Hills Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy". Eater NY. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
  4. Rubin, Courtney (February 5, 2021). "The Shocking Meltdown of Ample Hills — Brooklyn's Hottest Ice Cream Company". Marker. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  5. Adams, Erika; Warerkar, Tanay (June 23, 2020). "Ice Cream Chain Ample Hills Acquired by Manufacturing Company for $1M After Bankruptcy". Eater NY. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  6. Sytsma, Alan (March 16, 2021). "Ample Hills' Founders Return With a New Shop and a New Focus". New York . Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  7. "All Ample Hills ice cream shops close indefinitely". January 11, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  8. Moskin, Julia (June 16, 2023). "After an Epic Meltdown, Ample Hills Creamery Aims to Rise Again". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  9. Moskin, Julia (November 29, 2023). "Ample Hills Founders Are Out of the Business Again". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 31, 2023.

Further reading