ColdStone Ice Cream Closed.

[chelsea24]

Went over to ColdStone Ice Cream today and there was brown paper covering the windows and "Closed" signs. I walked down a couple of doors and asked if they knew what happened. And a girl that used to work there happened to be in there. She said she went home from work one night, went back to work in the morning and everything was gone! The equipment, the ice cream, everything! Disappeared in the middle of the night and no notice to the employees. Just thought that was weird. Does anyone know what happened? :dontknow:

[nONIE]

Chels, Dont know what happenend but it doesnt surprise me. Hate to sound like a cheapskate, but I stood in line for 15 minutes there to get a cone and when I got up to the counter and saw the price of a single dip, I got out of line and said "No Thankyou". :o :oTheir prices were outrageous!!!! Seems to me I could have gotten a whole dinner at Takis next door for a couple of dollars more. Couldnt justify that price for an ice cream cone.

[Sidney Lanier]

Oh no, not ColdStone! And just before we're getting back to TV!!! Have no idea what happened, but sorry to say I've heard of the same scenario with other businesses in recent weeks--literally closing and disappearing overnight with no courtesy to employees. I think the economy is worse than we think out there, and the price of gas is only making this worse than that in the sense that people aren't, say, casually driving out for an ice cream....

[nONIE]

Your right Sid, and to think I could have bought a gallon of gas for the price of one of their cones!

[KathieI]

Actually, I think its healthier for us that it did close. This is all I could find by googling it. Highest level of butterfat!! :yikes:

This is just a cut/paste paragraph regarding the franchise:

"Consider that a Cake Batter cone in the largest size, called "Gotta Have It," has almost 1,000 calories, and that's without any mix-ins; add brownie bits and rainbow sprinkles and you're well over half your daily recommended calorie intake. (In a nation with a childhood obesity problem, introducing an entire line of ice cream flavors that are essentially liquid baked goods is a move that could draw more criticism.)"

[inda50]

All of the comments seem accurate, but I'm still sad to see yet another small business bite the dust.

[JUREK]

Never had sticker shock before when getting an ice cream. Had the same experience when getting i line at Coldstone.. I like the prices and ice cream much better at Ambrosia in LSL. :bigthumbsup:

[chelsea24]

Honestly I have never had ColdStone Ice Cream, but many told me to try it. Went to Ollie's (which I never had before either and YUMM!) But I, too, am saddened when yet another business goes under. That was the point of my post. Also, a sad social comment about the way things are handled in this day and age. No notice to the employees. That's happening all across the country. I felt very sorry for that young woman.

[Russ_Boston]

I'm not a lawyer but my legal counsel at work says that there are many legal reasons why no notice is given for immediate closures. Most of the reasons have to do with potential liability claims (disability claims etc.) when employees are given 'time' to think about their upcoming unemployment. It's unfortunate that it comes to this but this is the way that most immediate closures happen in today's litigious world. We've seen it at Whiskey Creek and now at Coldstone and we'll see it again. Nothing to do with people being ruder or more ill-mannered or discourteous than they were 'back in the day'.

Remember that many business limp along and then one day the bank or the landlord or the creditor/vendors just say 'enough'. By Federal/State laws only companies of a certain size (over 100 or more in MA) are required to pay beyond hours worked. (60 days pay or notice in MA).

Google: Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification (WARN) Act if you wish to learn more.

[SteveFromNY]

I'm not a lawyer but my legal counsel at work says that there are many legal reasons why no notice is given for immediate closures. Most of the reasons have to do with potential liability claims (disability claims etc.) when employees are given 'time' to think about their upcoming unemployment. It's unfortunate that it comes to this but this is the way that most immediate closures happen in today's litigious world. We've seen it at Whiskey Creek and now at Coldstone and we'll see it again. Nothing to do with people being ruder or more ill-mannered or discourteous than they were 'back in the day'.

Remember that many business limp along and then one day the bank or the landlord or the creditor/vendors just say 'enough'. By Federal/State laws only companies of a certain size (over 100 or more in MA) are required to pay beyond hours worked. (60 days pay or notice in MA).

Google: Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification (WARN) Act if you wish to learn more.


Russ - Thanks for that one. Lends some rationale for the abrupt closures.

[chelsea24]

Yes, I think you're right Russ. It's getting scary out there! :yikes:

[njgranny]

We had a local business that did that - workers came to work and it was closed. It was a surprise to most people as we thought they were doing well. It had been there for years.

When my son was laid off several years ago, they made him leave right after they told him he was laid off. He had to pack up his personal things and go. Now, he works for the same company again.

[784caroline]

Russ
"WE have seen it at Whiskey Creek"....has something happened at Whiskey Creek????

[SteveFromNY]

Russ
"WE have seen it at Whiskey Creek"....has something happened at Whiskey Creek????


It closed the same way a few days ago.

[tucson]

Went over to ColdStone Ice Cream today and there was brown paper covering the windows and "Closed" signs. I walked down a couple of doors and asked if they knew what happened. And a girl that used to work there happened to be in there. She said she went home from work one night, went back to work in the morning and everything was gone! The equipment, the ice cream, everything! Disappeared in the middle of the night and no notice to the employees. Just thought that was weird. Does anyone know what happened? :dontknow:
Well it's their own fault foe going out of business. For 2 Reg. cones w/no add-ons, it cost me $10.00 !!! And it was nothing special. Now,compare that w/Ollie's, I pay 4.00 for 2 "very delicious cones".( I just wish that Ollie's would come to LSL.)

[deano_hoosier]

Article in today's WSJ about Coldstones... mentioned the same thing you all did "too darn expensive". The franchise's are forced to buy from the same hi-priced supplier and it is killing them.

[Boomer]

Interesting about the WSJ article.

I never really understood the concept of Coldstone.

I always thought the way to sell ice cream successfully would be more of a Dip. Scoop. Slap.

And I could never figure out how anybody who ended up working there for any length of time could possibly escape developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

I guess whoever came up with the Coldstone idea must have been taking the advice those other, uh, dancers gave to Gypsy Rose Lee, "You Gotta Have a Gimmick."

Boomer

[renielarson]

Never thought about carpal tunnel related to Coldstone

Have thought about bread bakers...all the kneading...seems more plausible

However, doesn't take much to blame carpal tunnel on about anything...can't think of many jobs that don't use hands....

[Boomer]

You know, as I look back on my post here about Coldstone and the potential for carpal tunnel, I can see how it might have been interpreted as a little snide, not to mention cold. I would sincerely like to say that was not the spirit in which my comments were intended.

It is sad to see empty stores, and I am greatly concerned that failing small businesses, especially those that depend upon disposable income, may become a sign of the times.

So anyway, I sounded snotty. Did not mean to. Don't know what I was thinking. Guess I was not. Boomer does not do snotty posts. Boomer just likes to have fun. Boomer is talking about herself in third person now. It must be time for Boomer to say goodnight.

Goodnight,
Boomer :redface:

[renielarson]

Boomer

I love your posts! You are such a creative writer and are gifted with expressing yourself.

I didn't mean to sound snippy with my post. I know many people with carpal tunnel and it got me thinking that each of them blame it on their type of work. Then I thought, well they're probably right because every job does include the use of hands/wrists.

It was late and I was just babbling.

I look forward to your posts...keep it up!

[Boomer]

Oh Bright,

Not a problem at all.

And I sure know exactly what you mean about when it gets late, especially.

Sometimes, I feel like the Queen of Babble. Maybe there are support groups for that.

But wait! I think this is one.

Ah, The Power of Babble.

Boomer :)

[graciegirl]

You know, as I look back on my post here about Coldstone and the potential for carpal tunnel, I can see how it might have been interpreted as a little snide, not to mention cold. I would sincerely like to say that was not the spirit in which my comments were intended.

It is sad to see empty stores, and I am greatly concerned that failing small businesses, especially those that depend upon disposable income, may become a sign of the times.

So anyway, I sounded snotty. Did not mean to. Don't know what I was thinking. Guess I was not. Boomer does not do snotty posts. Boomer just likes to have fun. Boomer is talking about herself in third person now. It must be time for Boomer to say goodnight.

Goodnight,
Boomer :redface:


Boomer, Sweetie, you have got to face it. Almost everyone thinks we Ohioans are snotty. ;D

Now take deep breaths and you will be fine. :bigthumbsup:

YOU nut. You are clever, disarming and witty as hell.

LOVE your posts!