Ice cream has a long, rich history in Newton Highlands. It was home to the original Brighams, which according to Wikipedia was founded in 1914 by Edward L. Brigham, who began selling ice cream (five cents for ice cream and sundaes for 20 cents) and candy made in the back of his store in 1924.
I’m hoping Bob Burke or others will help us fill in the gaps but my earliest memories of ice cream in the Highlands was of the Ice Cream Works, originally located at about where Walnut Market now is and later moving to the Bread & Chocolate location. For a while, Baskin & Robbins was available at since closed Dunkin Donuts (where the terrific Walnut Grille is). More recently, the short-lived Bread & Lilly gave it a shot.
For a village with so many wonderful shops, restaurants, summer concerts and outdoor movies, beautiful gardens, the MBTA and a public beach, the lack of an ice cream store was a major gap.
Finally, ice cream is back. The Rox Cafe on Lincoln is now scooping (and offering smoothies) at its market cafe. Not a moment too soon.
I had a pretty good Frappe during Village Day.
And lobster rolls! http://roxcafenewton.com/pdfs/lobster_menu.pdf
They now need to blend this all in. Get the lobster on the breakfast menu — lobster benny. And get the ice cream on the drinks menu — rum, root beer float…
We are advocating for Waffles: as an addition to the breakfast menu, with fried chicken for dinner and with ice cream for dessert.
The Brigham’s shoppe was in the building at the corner of Hartford St. and Lincoln St. Sitting on the plaza in front on a Friday evening while eating ice cream with the family was a fun way to transition from the business week to the weekend.
3 scoops of vanilla on a large cone. It hit the spot on Sunday. I’ve been onset diabetic for many years, but ice cream in moderation is an addiction I just can’t seem to beat. Whenever I’m heading to Newtonville from Newton Corner, I generally force myself to take a left on Harvard Street because I can’t seem to get past Cabot’s where I always overindulge.
That said, I miss the old Brigham’s in the Village. Their Chocolate Chip Ice Cream was my favorite and I couldn’t get that or fried clams out of my mind the entire time I was away in the Navy and Washington. The hand packed pints and quarts were to die for and this Brighams, at least, had huge glass mirrors that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. It looked like a mini-Versailles and the store was always buzzing even on the coldest days in winter. It was the meeting place and place to pick up dates in the Village.
Earlier than that, my dad and mom both took the trolley from Brighton to the Highlands during the 1920’s and 30’s simply to get a sundae at Brighams. This was the first store and it drew people from near and far, particularly on weekends. In fact, there were three reasons they wound up in the Highlands in 1934.
(1) The train into Boston on the Highland Branch
(2) They got a great deal on the house after they rented for 3 years.
(3) Brighams
Unfortunately, none of these attractions or inducements are still around.
Where in Newton Highlands was Brigham’s original store located? I love that sort of history!
I found two tiny photos here, but I don’t recognize the location.
http://www.brighams.com/about
Oops, I now see Patrick mentioned the location earlier. My bad! 🙂
So my follow-up question then – was it where Bread & Chocolate now exists, or was it in a different building that no longer stands?
My Dad, who is 91 and a Highlands native, recalls that his first job in the 1930s was to make home deliveries of Brigham’s ice cream made in the cellar of the Lincoln St. store on Sundays.
It seems there’s a bit of balance in the universe. The good news about ice cream at the Rox has to be balanced against the news that the Freeze space in Waban is up for lease again. (The store will remain open until the end of July.)
Like Bob, I have an ice cream addiction (small scoop of coffee ice cream with hot fudge for me, thanks!). We’re heartbroken to see our local stop close, but we will make the longer walk over to the Highlands to partake.
Jacob, same building as Bread & Chocolate. then and now. Brigham’s was there through the 1970’s. Followed by Ice Cream Factory and Ice Cream Works on the same block (where the salon is today, I think)
Finally!!
Personally, my life hasn’t been the same since Spoonfuls on Needham Street snuck out of town in the middle of the night some 10-15 years ago. My waistline should probably be grateful but I still think they sold the best frozen yogurt around.
Ice Cream Factory and Ice Cream Works were two separate businesses? I have a fond memory of one of them selling something called Dole Whip, which had nothing to do with the former Senate Majority Leader/presidential candidate, but was a non-dairy smooth something or other.
To this day I cannot enjoy Lumiere because it’ll always be a Brigham’s to me. The highest/best use of that real estate was as an ice cream store.
Newton Highlands Brigham’s was my go-to spot. Invested quite a bit in all of their locations.
I have to say that I recently enjoyed a terrific Hot Fudge Sundae at Cabots the other day. Every now and then you’ve got to feed the monkey. It will be a regular event.
I’m an ice-cream man from way back: In 1971 I actually had my own ice cream truck. Gained twenty pounds that summer…
Works followed Factory in the same location. I think it might have been a change of ownership.
@Terry Malloy – I think it’s your time again. Food trucks are a big deal these days. I think it’s time for you to get back into your ice cream truck. Maybe a Mr Softee truck.
Brighams in the Center! And don’t forget the pizza joint owned and run by “Fat” Pellegrini!
We enjoyed the Brighams in West Newton as well. Have a polaroid of me and my son eating ice cream there taken by the guy who used to run the Brighams there. He used to do that … bring out his Polaroid to take pictures of customers who visit.
I actually “connected” with him quite accidentally a couple years ago … I can’t even recall what customer service line I was calling … and I got to chat with this guy (who now lives in Rhode Island or CT) and he tells me that he used to live in Newton, MA … West Newton … ran a Brighams store … and I said “George? Is that you?” … and it was!! He used to live in the house right around the bend on Waltham St … everyone knew him. He was the ice cream guy.
Sorry, his name was Warren … but, it *was* him. It was definitely a “small world” moment.
@Bob Burke, Do you remember McManus ice cream? My grandfather worked for them during the 40’s and curried a lot of favor with the nuns at Sacred Heart with his deliveries of free ice cream.
Lisap, I remember McManus fondly! Pretty much the only thing on Needham Street at that time!
@Lisup. McManus also had an ice cream stand on Commonwealth Avenue outside of Norumbega Park, almost where the entrance to the Marriott is. Great ice cream, a bit creamier than Brighams as I recall.
Some things do come full circle. My wife’s family served up ice cream for 46 years and finally sold off the last of the business two years ago. We have a photo of Theresa in a beenie standing in front of one of their ice cream trailers from when she was about 8. Now a family member (I won’t name her yet) is about to start at the Rox, and I hope they set her up scooping ice cream soon. I think its meant to be!
Not satisfied with a ice-cream scooping shop, Newton Lower Falls had it’s own ice cream factory. It was on the banks of the Charles River on Washington street. Newton South teachers used to rent the apartments upstairs and you’d have to walk up on the rickety wooden stairs that hung out over the river to get to the apartments. Torn down in the late 70’s. Can anyone come up with the company name?
Thanks Bob Burke and NativeNewtonian! And good luck to Steve Siegel’s unnamed-yet-soon-to-be-employed relation. 🙂
I remember driving an ice cream truck for McManus. I thought it was in 1951 or 52. I couldn’t remember the name till it suddenly just came to me. Amazng