I am at a loss to explain why I am so interested in the fate of Thrifty Ice Cream. I gave up eating ice cream and things like that in 2007 but I’m still following this story which, briefly, goes like this: Once upon a time, there was this big chain of Thrifty Drug Stores. They sold everything other drug stores sold but also had a stand in every store that sold real good ice cream for real cheap prices. Thrifty Drug Stores all eventually became Rite Aid Drug Stores but now Rite Aid is going out of business and selling off its assets. So what, many are wondering, will become of our beloved Thrifty Ice Cream?
I wrote about this back here and said that “…the company that owns Von’s Markets (and Safeway and Albertson’s) has purchased the Thrifty ice cream business.” That was what was said at the time but that deal fell through and now the fate of that frozen commodity is less clear. I’m not the only one wondering about it was this big and recent story in The Los Angeles Times shows.
But here’s the thing: It’s just ice cream. The Thrifty version was good but, you know, there’s other good ice cream in this world. In fact, as I recall when I used to eat it, there’s very little not-good ice cream in this world. Even if no one acquires the Thrifty Ice Cream factory in El Monte and finds new outlets for its output, you’ll still be able to find good ice cream. It may not be as cheap as it was back at the Thrifty Drug Stores but nothing is.
The only real thing that distinguished Thrifty Ice Cream from all the rest (besides its price) was the unique cylindrical shape in which it was served…and you can replicate that in your home. They’re selling the special model of ice cream scoop that Thrifty used. If I was still eating ice cream, I’d buy one. I may even buy one and see if I can use it for potato salad.
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