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First Dunk's, now Friendly's

By adamg on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 8:50am

WBZ reports what's left of the once iconic New England ice-cream chain will be sold - even as it files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in nine years.

In addition to Dunkin' and Friendly's, Legal Sea Food is also in negotiations to get bought up.

Topics: 
Dining
Free tagging: 
ice cream
Friendly's


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Comments

By tblade on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 9:41am.

Friendly’s is being sold to Amici Partners Group. Amici is the Italian word for ‘friends’. Personally, I wish they named the group Amity, because amity, as you know, means ‘friendship’.

By cybah on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 10:56am.

The Dunkin deal has a weird thing I can't seem to get past.

Most of the articles have positioned Dunkin as a "brand that can survive a pandemic"

But none of the articles fail to mention how many stores have been 'temporarily' closed due to the pandemic (take a look at DTX lately. most are still closed).

Its pretty easy to say you're still profitable when many stores aren't technically closed for good, but temporarily. Plus what about the employees? Many were furlonged and now collect unemployment benefits. You aren't paying them any more. How did that play into the equation?

By Gary C on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 11:29am.

Your points are well taken. Most (all?) of the DDs are franchised, so while the corporation may have done OK, the real suffering is downstream with the franchisees and their employees. You'd think that having a bunch of stores closed would affect the corporate bottom line, but maybe enough people just made up for it by buying their drinks at the stores near their homes, since most people are still not going downtown to work.

By Ron Newman on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 5:11am.

It was attached to the bfresh grocery store. It went from being temporarily closed in March to being totally gutted and vacated and For Lease. (The grocery store is still open.)

By anon on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 11:19am.

The Starbucks down the street seems a better fit for the Davis crowd these days.

By cybah on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 1:48pm.

Yeah don't remind me. Remember I work in Davis.

I now have to walk to Porter or Powderhouse to get a coffee.

I dont get how that one failed. Its the only one in the square.

By ElizaLeila on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 2:05pm.

I haven't worked in Davis in ... oh, 17 years. But Diesel was pretty good then, is it no good now? Or overly expensive (it was a bit pricey then, but not horrific)?

By cybah on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 2:34pm.

I like my Dunkin Dishwater as my sip all day coffee.

When I want to *enjoy* coffee I usually hit up Diesel or The Well (thanks Cappy!)

By Ron Newman on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 3:15pm.

Besides already-mentioned Diesel, other choices are Mr Crepe, Nine Bar Espresso, Revival Cafe, and Starbucks (once it reopens on November 18 after renovation).

By Ron Newman on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 11:51am.

unless you count one at Logan Airport.

The last one, in Stoneham across from the Fells, closed last November (a year ago).

I remember them formerly having locations in Charlestown (in the supermarket plaza), Watertown (outside the Target "mall"), Arlington (on Broadway, closed after a hepatitis outbreak), Brookline (Coolidge Corner), and likely others I've forgotten now.

By Scratchie on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 12:03pm.

Waltham (on Lexington Street) (Or maybe it was in Lexington on Waltham Street... it was right on the line.)
Belmont (Trapelo Road at Common St., IIRC)

I'm sure there were more that I've forgotten.

By adamg on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 12:11pm.

But for those of us in Boston's southern frontier, the one in Norwood isn't that far away.

By Section77 on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 1:37pm.

Squire road Revere, (Northgate)

Hancock Street, Quincy

Vinnin Square, Swampscott.

Main Street, Falmouth

Bourne at Sagamore Rotary.

By Gary C on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 2:09pm.

It was a staple of the community. Then it was a Greek place and now it's a bank (but then most everything there ends up as a bank.)

By Ron Newman on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 3:16pm.

Recently: Chase Bank in front of the Watertown "Mall" on Arsenal Street. (Street View)

Decades ago, before my time: East Cambridge Savings Bank on Highland Avenue at Cedar Street, Somerville. Very recognizable. (Street View)

By Scratchie on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 4:21pm.

Decades ago, before my time: East Cambridge Savings Bank on Highland Avenue at Cedar Street, Somerville. Very recognizable. (Street View)

Wow. I lived around the corner from that bank in the 80s and it never once registered on me that it was a Friendly's. I'm pretty sure the Friendly's I worked at in Newburyport is now a bank, as well.

By cybah on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 6:48pm.

I go by that ECSB location cuz its near work. Didnt even think of it as a friendly's.

It reminded me of an 70s-era bank buildings in Connecticut (dont ask) so I didnt think of it as a Friendly's. But now that you mention it.. it does look like the one that was on Trapelo Road (that I see now has been torn down for condos.)

By ScottB on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 12:06am.

Which is being transformed into a Taco Bell.

By ElizaLeila on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 2:08pm.

The one I grew up riding my bike to for ice cream is a Santander.

By anon on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 3:28pm.

The one on Cambridge Street on the Winchester/Woburn line went from Friendly's to Starbucks to Dunks. That's the Boston-area decay chain in action.

By ElizaLeila on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 3:26pm.

I don't think so.

By Ron Newman on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 3:38pm.

It's in Terminal A, past security. That's why I don't count it.

By anon on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 9:50am.

Buy a full-fare refundable ticket, then cancel it after you eat your Fishamajig.

By ElizaLeila on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 9:25pm.

Doesn't show it. I think it's gone.

By cybah on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 2:32pm.

It was there in January when I went to London. I remember eating there because in Friendlys fashion, they were out of half of the menu, the credit card machine and registers were down too.

I remember not being able to expense the dinner cuz I couldn't get a reciept.

By Former Westroxer on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 10:25pm.

I think I remember one on Washington St., near Lake. Anyone?

By cden4 on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 4:16pm.

Oh Friendly's. I don't know why they haven't been able to get their act together over the years. When I was a kid, they were pretty good, but the quality of food and service just kept going down, down, down. They kept expanding the menu when they really should not have.

I had hoped they would go back to the classics, with a smaller menu of fresh made-to-order items (burgers, melts, fries, shakes, etc) and stop trying to do so much. Alas, they have not.

By Scratchie on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 4:22pm.

I had hoped they would go back to the classics, with a smaller menu of fresh made-to-order items (burgers, melts, fries, shakes, etc) and stop trying to do so much

There are so many places nowadays that specialize in burgers and milkshakes, you'd think Friendly's could make a go of it.

By jmeltzer on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 4:53pm.

but when _I_ was a kid, there wasn't enough competition ...

By Unfriendly on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 1:34am.

Good to know that Dunkin Donuts appeals to corporate buyers.
America runs on convenience and tolerance for mediocrity.

By Parkwayne on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 1:46pm.

Will that be maintained?