Friendly's
Encyclopedia
Friendly Ice Cream Corporation is the owner and operator of the Friendly's restaurant chain on the United States' East Coast
. Founded in 1935 in Springfield, Massachusetts
by brothers Curtis Blake (then 18) and S. Prestley Blake
, 20, their first shop served double-dip cones for 5 cents. Many Friendly's have an old-fashioned street clock at their entrance with the town's name, although not on newer or renovated stores. Friendly's has 16,000 employees; Harsha Agadi is the president and CEO.
A total of 505 Friendly's restaurants are found in: Connecticut
, Delaware
, Florida
, Maine
, Maryland
, Massachusetts
, New Hampshire
, New Jersey
, New York
, North Carolina
, Ohio
, Pennsylvania
, Rhode Island
, South Carolina
, Vermont
and Virginia
.
. The Blakes opened a modest ice cream shoppe
, selling double-dip cones for 5 cents. The brothers named the business "Friendly". In 1940, a second Friendly was opened, in West Springfield
; hamburgers were added to the menu. During World War II
, the Blakes closed the business until the war's end. In 1951, 10 Friendly's were operating in Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The expansion of the company led to the move of headquarters from Springfield to Wilbraham
in 1960. By 1974 the chain had grown to 500 restaurants in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. That year, a food processing and distribution plant opened in Troy, Ohio
.
In 1979, the brothers retired, selling Friendly to Hershey Foods Corporation, which operated the chain as a wholly owned subsidiary. Friendly began facing misfortunes in the mid-1980s. In 1988, Donald N. Smith purchased Friendly from the Hershey corporation, with Friendly becoming part of Tennessee Foods. In 1989, Smith added the 's to Friendly, making its colloquial name official.
In 1997, Friendly's Ice Cream Corporation debuted on NASDAQ
stock exchange under the symbol FRND. The stock began at $18 per share, peaking at $26. Around then, 34 stores were sold to DavCo Restaurants, which planned 100 openings in the next 10 years. Despite DavCo's efforts, Friendly's stock price fell to $5.
In 1998, Kim Andereck was brought in as Vice President of Fanchise Development and became instrumental in creating an aggressive franchise program for the chain, which had been company-owned. Now, about 50% of its restaurants are franchise-owned. In summer 2000, Friendly's switched to the American Stock Exchange
; symbol FRN. In June 2007, Friendly's appointed President and CEO George Condos; that summer it was bought for $337 million by the private investment firm Sun Capital Partners, Inc. In December 2008, Ned R. Lidvall was appointed President and CEO. Friendly’s opened its first concept store in Framingham, Massachusetts, introducing a radically different look than existing stores.
In 2010 Friendly's began a sponsorship deal with folk artist Warren Kimble, featuring works such as "Cat in tin" "Claire" and "Cliff".
On August 5, 2009, the first Friendly's Express opened in Mansfield, Massachusetts
, with three in 2010: April 28 at Coolidge Corner
in Brookline
, July 7 in Wareham
, and September 28 in Methuen
.
According to the Marler Clark Attorney Network, "in June of 2004, a food worker at a Friendly’s restaurant in Arlington, Massachusetts was diagnosed with hepatitis A, a virus that can cause acute liver failure. Health officials estimated that more than 3,800 people were at risk for developing hepatitis A infection after dining at the restaurant. In mid-June, more than 3,000 people exposed to the hepatitis A virus at Friendly's lined up at an area clinic to receive immune globulin ("Ig") shots to prevent hepatitis A infection. When administered within 14 days of exposure to the virus, Ig is effective in preventing – or at least reducing the symptoms of – hepatitis A infection. Many of the people who lined up for shots were initially turned away and due to a lack of Ig and had to return later. Marler Clark filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of hundreds of customers and employees of the Friendly’s restaurant who were exposed to the hepatitis A virus. Friendly’s and Marler Clark resolved the case in 2005."
bankruptcy protection, then would seek an auction to sell itself out of bankruptcy. Six days later, Friendly's confirmed it would seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and that it had closed 63 stores.
s, including one shaped as a clown with Reese's Pieces
for eyes. Friendly's ice cream dessert options include: root beer floats, Fribble shakes, Friend-Z, and sundaes. A Fribble is a thick shake, originally made with iced milk, now made with soft serve ice cream. A Friend-Z is soft serve ice cream with a topping. Friendly's take-home options include: Sundaes-to-Go, ice cream rolls, cartons of ice cream, and ice cream cakes.
Friendly's also offers breakfast
, lunch and dinner
items, such as hamburgers, french fries
, wraps
and sandwiches
. Unlike chains Denny's
and IHOP
, breakfast items at Friendly's are available mornings only; lunch and dinner are available later.
Friendly's manufactures and sells packaged premium ice cream distributed in over 4,000 supermarkets (and other stores).
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. Founded in 1935 in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
by brothers Curtis Blake (then 18) and S. Prestley Blake
S. Prestley Blake
S. Prestley Blake is a co-founder of the Friendly Ice Cream Corporation . He attended the Northfield Mount Hermon School and subsequently had Blake Hall named after him....
, 20, their first shop served double-dip cones for 5 cents. Many Friendly's have an old-fashioned street clock at their entrance with the town's name, although not on newer or renovated stores. Friendly's has 16,000 employees; Harsha Agadi is the president and CEO.
A total of 505 Friendly's restaurants are found in: Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
History
Friendly’s was founded in 1935, at the height of the Great Depression by brothers Prestley and Curtis Blake in SpringfieldSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. The Blakes opened a modest ice cream shoppe
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
, selling double-dip cones for 5 cents. The brothers named the business "Friendly". In 1940, a second Friendly was opened, in West Springfield
West Springfield, Massachusetts
The Town of West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 28,391 at the 2010 census...
; hamburgers were added to the menu. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Blakes closed the business until the war's end. In 1951, 10 Friendly's were operating in Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The expansion of the company led to the move of headquarters from Springfield to Wilbraham
Wilbraham, Massachusetts
Wilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is also a suburb of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,868 at the 2010 census...
in 1960. By 1974 the chain had grown to 500 restaurants in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. That year, a food processing and distribution plant opened in Troy, Ohio
Troy, Ohio
* - Sports :In addition to Troy High School athletics, Troy is home to the Miami Valley Silverbacks indoor football team of the Continental Indoor Football League....
.
In 1979, the brothers retired, selling Friendly to Hershey Foods Corporation, which operated the chain as a wholly owned subsidiary. Friendly began facing misfortunes in the mid-1980s. In 1988, Donald N. Smith purchased Friendly from the Hershey corporation, with Friendly becoming part of Tennessee Foods. In 1989, Smith added the 's to Friendly, making its colloquial name official.
In 1997, Friendly's Ice Cream Corporation debuted on NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
stock exchange under the symbol FRND. The stock began at $18 per share, peaking at $26. Around then, 34 stores were sold to DavCo Restaurants, which planned 100 openings in the next 10 years. Despite DavCo's efforts, Friendly's stock price fell to $5.
In 1998, Kim Andereck was brought in as Vice President of Fanchise Development and became instrumental in creating an aggressive franchise program for the chain, which had been company-owned. Now, about 50% of its restaurants are franchise-owned. In summer 2000, Friendly's switched to the American Stock Exchange
American Stock Exchange
NYSE Amex Equities, formerly known as the American Stock Exchange is an American stock exchange situated in New York. AMEX was a mutual organization, owned by its members. Until 1953, it was known as the New York Curb Exchange. On January 17, 2008, NYSE Euronext announced it would acquire the...
; symbol FRN. In June 2007, Friendly's appointed President and CEO George Condos; that summer it was bought for $337 million by the private investment firm Sun Capital Partners, Inc. In December 2008, Ned R. Lidvall was appointed President and CEO. Friendly’s opened its first concept store in Framingham, Massachusetts, introducing a radically different look than existing stores.
In 2010 Friendly's began a sponsorship deal with folk artist Warren Kimble, featuring works such as "Cat in tin" "Claire" and "Cliff".
On August 5, 2009, the first Friendly's Express opened in Mansfield, Massachusetts
Mansfield, Massachusetts
Mansfield is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population is 23,184. Mansfield is in the south-southwest suburbs of Boston and is also close to Providence, Rhode Island....
, with three in 2010: April 28 at Coolidge Corner
Coolidge Corner
Coolidge Corner is a neighborhood of Brookline, Massachusetts, centered around the intersection of Beacon Street and Harvard Street. The neighborhood takes its name from the Coolidge brothers' general store that opened in 1857 at that intersection on the location of today's S.S...
in Brookline
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
, July 7 in Wareham
Wareham, Massachusetts
Wareham is a town located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 20,335, with an estimated 2008 population of 21,221....
, and September 28 in Methuen
Methuen, Massachusetts
Methuen is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 43,789 at the 2000 census.-History:Methuen was first settled in 1642 and was officially incorporated in 1726; it is named for the British diplomat Sir Paul Methuen. Methuen was originally part of Haverhill,...
.
Legal issues
In 2003, Prestley filed a lawsuit against Friendly Ice Cream Corporation and chairman Donald Smith in a derivative action to force the money back to the company which Blake claimed it was improperly paid for use of a private jet. Blake accused Smith of using the jet for personal use and using the airplane lease to carry $3 million annually from the company into another restaurant chain he controlled.According to the Marler Clark Attorney Network, "in June of 2004, a food worker at a Friendly’s restaurant in Arlington, Massachusetts was diagnosed with hepatitis A, a virus that can cause acute liver failure. Health officials estimated that more than 3,800 people were at risk for developing hepatitis A infection after dining at the restaurant. In mid-June, more than 3,000 people exposed to the hepatitis A virus at Friendly's lined up at an area clinic to receive immune globulin ("Ig") shots to prevent hepatitis A infection. When administered within 14 days of exposure to the virus, Ig is effective in preventing – or at least reducing the symptoms of – hepatitis A infection. Many of the people who lined up for shots were initially turned away and due to a lack of Ig and had to return later. Marler Clark filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of hundreds of customers and employees of the Friendly’s restaurant who were exposed to the hepatitis A virus. Friendly’s and Marler Clark resolved the case in 2005."
Bankruptcy
On September 29, 2011, Reuters claimed, but Friendly's did not confirm, that it was filing for Chapter 11Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
bankruptcy protection, then would seek an auction to sell itself out of bankruptcy. Six days later, Friendly's confirmed it would seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and that it had closed 63 stores.
Products/Menu
Friendly's is best known for its ice cream. It serves a variety of sundaeSundae
The sundae is an ice cream dessert. It typically consists of a scoop of ice cream topped with sauce or syrup, and in some cases other toppings including chopped nuts, sprinkles, whipped cream, or maraschino cherries.-History:...
s, including one shaped as a clown with Reese's Pieces
Reese's Pieces
Reese's Pieces are a peanut butter flavored candy manufactured by The Hershey Company for the North American market; they are also available in Ireland & The United Kingdom. They are circular in shape and covered in candy shells that are colored either yellow, orange, or brown. They can be...
for eyes. Friendly's ice cream dessert options include: root beer floats, Fribble shakes, Friend-Z, and sundaes. A Fribble is a thick shake, originally made with iced milk, now made with soft serve ice cream. A Friend-Z is soft serve ice cream with a topping. Friendly's take-home options include: Sundaes-to-Go, ice cream rolls, cartons of ice cream, and ice cream cakes.
Friendly's also offers breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
, lunch and dinner
Dinner
Dinner is usually the name of the main meal of the day. Depending upon culture, dinner may be the second, third or fourth meal of the day. Originally, though, it referred to the first meal of the day, eaten around noon, and is still occasionally used for a noontime meal, if it is a large or main...
items, such as hamburgers, french fries
French fries
French fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are...
, wraps
Wrap (food)
A wrap is a sort of sandwich made of a soft flatbread rolled around a filling. The usual flatbreads are wheat-flour tortillas, lavash, or pita; the filling usually consists of cold sliced meat, poultry, or fish accompanied by shredded lettuce, diced tomato or pico de gallo, guacamole, sauteed...
and sandwiches
Sandwiches
"Sandwiches" is a song by American electronic band Detroit Grand Pubahs. It reached number 29 in the Hot Dance Club Songs chart.- Track listing :...
. Unlike chains Denny's
Denny's
Denny's is a full-service coffee shop/family restaurant chain. It operates over 1,500 restaurants in the United States , Canada, Curaçao, Costa Rica, Honduras, Jamaica, Japan , Mexico, New Zealand, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.Denny's is known for always being...
and IHOP
IHOP
IHOP may refer to:* IHOP, a restaurant chain, formerly known as The International House of Pancakes* International House of Prayer, a Christian 24/7 prayer center in Kansas City, Missouri...
, breakfast items at Friendly's are available mornings only; lunch and dinner are available later.
Friendly's manufactures and sells packaged premium ice cream distributed in over 4,000 supermarkets (and other stores).
Slogans
- "You're in for a nice surprise" (1979–1982)
- "There's no place like Friendly" (1985–1989)
- "Where ice cream makes the meal/I wanna go to Friendly's" (2008–Present)
- "Oh, that looks good!" (2010–Present)