Bresler's 33 Flavors Explained

Bresler's Ice Cream
Type:Private
Location City:Chicago, Illinois
Location Country:U.S.
Fate:Rebranded
Locations:300+ at peak
Area Served:U.S.
Products:Ice cream

Bresler's 33 Flavors was an American ice cream chain founded in 1927. Its founder was Polish immigrant William J. Bresler, who died in 1985.[1]

In 1954, Bresler's began a fast food hamburger chain called Henry's Hamburgers.[2]

The Bresler's chain was sold in 1987 to Oberweis Dairy in Aurora, Illinois. At the time, it comprised 300 stores, of which 297 were franchises.[3]

Shortly afterward, the chain was renamed from Bresler's 33 Flavors to Bresler's Ice Cream, and added frozen yogurt to its menus to compete with TCBY.[4] Two years later, Oberweis sold the chain to David Lasky.[5] [6]

Yogen Früz parent company CoolBrands acquired the chain in 1995 and began expanding it internationally, including locations in Israel and Egypt.[7] [8] CoolBrands rebranded the last five Bresler's locations in 2007.[9]

Notes and References

  1. News: Founder of Bresler's 33 Flavors dies at 78. 26 September 1985. The Palm Beach Post. 23 November 2010.
  2. The Atlantic. 256. 79.
  3. Web site: Dairy buys Bresler's chain: Stanley Bresler to focus on convenience stores. Frydman. Ken. 7 September 1987. Nation's Restaurant News. 23 November 2010.
  4. News: Bresler's adds frozen yogurt, changes name. Frydman. Ken. 19 October 1987. Nation's Restaurant News.
  5. News: Exec buys Bresler's ice cream chain from Oberweis Dairy. Holton. Lisa. 10 March 1989. The Chicago Sun-Times. 23 November 2010.
  6. News: Company News; Bresler's Ice Cream. 11 March 1989. The New York Times. 23 November 2010.
  7. Web site: Company Interview Excerpt. 25 October 1999. The Wall Street Transcript. 23 November 2010.
  8. Web site: Coolbrands International history. Funding Universe. 23 November 2010.
  9. Web site: Fro-yo forerunner Yogen Früz finds time is right for U.S. growth. Jennings. Lisa. 8 June 2009. Nation's Restaurant News. 23 November 2010.