Future of Iconic Thrifty Ice Cream Uncertain Amid Rite Aid Bankruptcy and Store Closures

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Business

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Image Source: Angus Mordant/Getty Images

As Rite Aid navigates its ongoing bankruptcy and begins shuttering hundreds of stores across the country, uncertainty looms over the fate of one of its most beloved legacy brands: Thrifty Ice Cream.

Originally founded in 1940 in a modest West Hollywood factory, Thrifty Ice Cream quickly rose to popularity through its namesake Thrifty Drug Stores. The brand, known for its signature cylindrical scoops and nostalgic soda fountain charm, became a cultural staple across the West Coast, gaining what it calls “cult status” by the 1970s.

Rite Aid acquired Thrifty in 1996 and maintained its legacy by continuing to offer scoops of the classic ice cream in select West Coast stores, while also distributing cartons of the product in major retail chains such as Albertsons.

However, as part of Rite Aid’s bankruptcy proceedings, the company has announced the sale of most of its assets including Thrifty Ice Cream at an auction scheduled for June 20, according to Reuters. This development leaves fans and industry watchers questioning whether Thrifty Ice Cream will survive the transition or fade into nostalgia.

Neither Thrifty Ice Cream nor Rite Aid has responded to requests for comment from USA TODAY regarding the brand’s future.

Despite the uncertainty, Thrifty Ice Cream continues to maintain a physical presence. Some Rite Aid locations primarily in California, Arizona, and parts of Mexico still serve the iconic scoops, although Thrifty’s website no longer lists specific store locations. Cartons of the ice cream remain available at select grocery stores, and the company continues to work with independent distributors and retailers.

The potential disappearance of Thrifty Ice Cream has prompted an outpouring of emotion from loyal fans on social media. One user wrote, “For all the people trying to say that you can just go to the market and buy it, you’re missing the point. It’s the whole experience of walking up to the dipping cabinet, salivating over the different flavors, and getting that cone with that special Thrifty scooper.”

Another added, “I sure hope that Thrifty Ice Cream is saved!” while someone identifying themselves as a relative of the brand’s original founders lamented, “Sad to think this could be the end of an era.”

The iconic Thrifty scoop a trigger-powered device that shapes the ice cream into a perfect cylinder has become a nostalgic symbol in its own right and is still available for purchase online.

As June 20 approaches, fans of Thrifty Ice Cream await news that could determine whether this cherished brand will find a new lease on life or become a sweet memory of the past.