At the onset of the Great Depression, William Bresler and his brother David were intrigued by a vendor who sold ice cream bars in New Orleans. In 1929, the brothers sold ice cream from a cart in Lincoln Park, located in Chicago. Their cart sales led to the creation of Bresler's Ice Cream. The business operated for years as a wholesale ice cream company. William oversaw most of the operations. Bresler's Ice Cream sold its first franchised ice cream parlor in 1962.

Before opening ice cream parlors, Bresler's sought opportunities to sell the ice cream at other establishments. The company opened Henry's Hamburgers in 1954. This new fast-food chain gave Bresler's an outlet to sell its ice cream and milkshakes exclusively. Henry's Hamburgers peaked during the 1970s, and most of the restaurants closed after losing business to national competitors. 

Bresler's continued its ice cream operation, despite the company's fast-food failure. Oberweis Dairy purchased the company from the Bresler family in 1987. Stanley Bresler, who owned Bresler's before the sale, said he sold the family business to focus on real estate opportunities. Around the same time, Bresler's Ice Cream rebranded itself as Bresler's 33 Flavors. Two years after the acquisition, Oberweis sold Bresler's to David Lasky, who served as the ice cream company's executive vice president. 

In 1995, CoolBrands, a frozen foods corporation, purchased Bresler's. The new parent company expanded internationally, opening ice cream parlors in Israel and Egypt. However, the company never regained its popularity. 

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Bresler's Ice Cream offered various promotional items, including  posters, paperweights, baseballs, toy trucks, beach balls, and branded Troll doll pencil toppers. People also collected items once used at the store, such as uniform patches, stickers, glasses, and spoons. Bresler's handed out tokens called "Wooden Nickels" to its customers. Customers could use these coins in exchange for ice cream at the shop. Many of the coins are still well preserved.

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The Bresler's logo is brown and orange. It features a stylized ice cream cone graphic. The old version of the logo is red and white and does not include 33 Flavors. 

Identify your Bresler's Ice Cream Symbols.

Books and Periodicals

Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla: A History of American Ice Cream by Anne Cooper Funderburg.

Fast Food: Roadside Restaurants in the Automobile Age by John Jakle and Keith Sculle. 

Web Resources

Bresler's ice cream chain sold. www.upi.com.

William Bresler, Founder of Ice Cream Store Chain. www.orlandosentinel.com.

Related Dictionary Pages: Bruster's Ice Cream Shop Chain, Burger Chef Fast-Food Chain, Burger King [Fast Food Chain], California Pizza Kitchen Restaurant Chain.