Beloved Ice Cream Chain Closing 500 Stores—Is Your Neighborhood Scoop Next?

H2: Thrifty Ice Cream to Shutter 500 In-Store Parlors Amid Rite Aid Bankruptcy America’s beloved Thrifty Ice Cream, a West Coast staple since 1940, is about to lose roughly 500 scoop counters as parent company Rite Aid moves forward with Chapter 11 restructuring. The pharmacy chain confirmed that hundreds of its retail locations are slated for closure; because every Thrifty parlor operates inside a Rite Aid, the downsizing automatically wipes out those ice-cream counters as well. H3: Why the Closures Are Happening Now • Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy in late 2024 after mounting opioid-related lawsuits and $3.3 billion in debt. • Court documents list more than 500 under-performing pharmacies marked for liquidation; Thrifty counters inside those stores will disappear simultaneously. • The pharmacy chain says the step is “critical to achieving a sustainable footprint” and paying creditors. H3: What It Means for Thrifty Fans • Limited availability: Many Californians rely on Rite Aid for exclusive Thrifty flavors such as Mint ‘n Chip and Chocolate Malted Krunch. Remaining stores will continue to scoop, but supply may tighten during the transition. • Pint production continues: Rite Aid states that Thrifty-branded ice-cream pints will still be manufactured at its El Monte, CA creamery and distributed to surviving locations and select grocery partners. • Possible franchise future: Industry analysts speculate that the 80-year-old brand could be spun off or licensed to a dedicated ice-cream operator, preserving its heritage while freeing Rite Aid to focus on pharmaceuticals. H3: Store Locator and Timeline A first wave of pharmacy closures started in late May and will roll out in phases through early 2026. Customers can use Rite Aid’s online store-locator tool, updated weekly, to confirm whether their neighborhood shop—and its Thrifty counter—remains open. H3: Impact on the Ice-Cream Market • Seasonal crunch: The mass shuttering arrives just as summer demand spikes, potentially shifting traffic to rivals such as Baskin-Robbins and Cold Stone Creamery. • Real-estate opportunity: Shopping-center landlords suddenly gain hundreds of vacant sites suited for quick-service food or wellness concepts, a trend analysts say could reshape retail corridors in the West. • Brand loyalty: Thrifty’s cult following may drive e-commerce pint sales and spark third-party delivery partnerships to fill the brick-and-mortar gap. H3: What’s Next Court hearings to approve additional store lists are scheduled throughout the summer. Rite Aid has not ruled out more closures, meaning the final Thrifty tally could rise. Fans hoping to savor a last nostalgic cone should visit their local counter soon—or stock the freezer with those signature square-scooped pints before they melt away.