Cold Stone Creameries potentially in the shitter

HotShotX

HotShotX

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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121...S=cold+stone+creamery&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month

The article cites rising food costs and other cost related issues, but also cites complaints that the primary business lied to franchisees about potential profits, cut into their profits by offering national "2 for 1" coupons, and offered little to no guidance in addition to overexpansion, resulting in several stores cutting into each others profits simply from proximity.

As much as I like Cold Stone & Marble Slab, I prefer not to pay $5 for ice cream and turned to buying my own ice cream and mixing in Reese cups and Snickers (my usual).

~HotShotX
 
[quote name='Maklershed']I've only been to a cold stone creamery once. It was great but a real kick in the d to pay $5+ for a little bit of ice cream.[/quote]

I too have only been there once and I live walking distance to one, I also felt that same kick...odd.
 
[quote name='shieryda']How ironic. I run straight to the shitter after I eat their "ice cream".[/quote]
haha, me to. I used to work next door to one, so one day I decided to go over there & try their smaller size. After I paid the $5 & ate only half of it, I went back to pushing carts. About 10 minutes later I was running across the parking lot tryng to get to the shitter before I had diarrhea everywhere.
 
We have a few marble slabs here, never been to cold stone. It is expensive, but no more so than most ice cream chains like baskin robbins. I like marble slabs cinnamon flavor, no other place has it around here.
 
like alot fo things once you see how easy it is to make on youe own ( even without an icecream machine) its kind of laughable to pay high prices for that stuff. coldstone was a cool place to go to for your first time if all you knew was baskin robbins but theres beter places than that. over time i think alot of people will start to make things themselves more which could be a good thing.
 
$5 bucks?

I always spent far less than that.... how big are you guys buying yoru ice cream?

as for interesting flavors... I can only find it at Cold Stone... and that would probably be the only reason to go there.

I'm not big on ice cream.. but for me... it's always better when someone else makes my bowl.

I have never gotten sick from our local one.
 
I never had any issue with running to the bathroom after eating at the one near me. $5.00 seems like a lot for ice cream, but my wife and I generally would eat there and each get one of the waffle cones with it for a meal on a hot night. We usually were plenty full after each eating one of those, so we figured $10.00 for dinner for two was pretty good.
 
[quote name='Fuzi0n']I too have only been there once and I live walking distance to one, I also felt that same kick...odd.[/quote]

Thirded. This is the real reason for the financial problems. $5 one time as a novelty? OK. On a regular basis? Not a chance.

[quote name='metaphysicalstyles']And that's the bottom line... 'cause Cold Stone said so.[/quote]

Heh. Someone had to say it.
 
a lot of chain restaurants/coffee shops have been getting into trouble for lying to the people who buy the franchise license. Under reporting on costs, rising the cost of food supplies after the buy in etc...
 
[quote name='lokizz']like alot fo things once you see how easy it is to make on youe own ( even without an icecream machine) its kind of laughable to pay high prices for that stuff. coldstone was a cool place to go to for your first time if all you knew was baskin robbins but theres beter places than that. over time i think alot of people will start to make things themselves more which could be a good thing.[/quote]


What did I just read?
 
[quote name='Maklershed']I've only been to a cold stone creamery once. It was great but a real kick in the d to pay $5+ for a little bit of ice cream.[/quote]

I've had the same experience. I only been their once. It was cool and all but honestly I prefer to spend $5 on something else...
 
Heavy cream has been climbing up since last summer. It's been going up about 5 to 7 cents per quart per month for about the last 12-15 months that I can remember. Doesn't seem like a lot, but it is.
 
I like Cold Stone but when I do get the random desire for some form of ice cream, Dairy Queen, Baskins Robbins or just a shake/frosty from Wendy's or Sonic fit the bill pretty well and that way I don't have to deal with idiots singing and expecting me to give them a $5 tip for memorizing some corporate slogan like a trained Parrot.
 
I walked into a Cold Stone once, took a look at the prices, and walked right out never to go back again! Way over priced for ice cream if you ask me!!
 
Those fold in the toppings ice cream shops never impress me. Of course I'm also still mourning the loss of Ben&Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie and In A Crunch ice creams a year later and nothing will ever live up to that stuff in my mind. I even tried carrot cake ice cream with real carrots, creme cheese, and cake. Not even close.

Shieryda and Segasonic, are y'all sure you're not just lactose intolerant?
 
[quote name='VioletArrows']Shieryda and Segasonic, are y'all sure you're not just lactose intolerant?[/quote]

I, for one, have a pretty sensitive stomach, anyways. I ate a burrito from Chipotle yesterday, and felt like crap the rest of the day up until bedtime.

Dairy Queen is okay, but it's technically not ice cream. I prefer the fruity Star-shaped treats (Star kisses, I think).
 
[quote name='shieryda']I, for one, have a pretty sensitive stomach, anyways. I ate a burrito from Chipotle yesterday, and felt like crap the rest of the day up until bedtime.

Dairy Queen is okay, but it's technically not ice cream. I prefer the fruity Star-shaped treats (Star kisses, I think).[/quote]
Same. I can't eat Mexican, BBQ, or Red Lobster without having to shit immediatly afterwards.
 
[quote name='Segasonic01']Same. I can't eat Mexican, BBQ, or Red Lobster without having to shit immediatly afterwards.[/quote]


that sucks. that really really sucks. over time you could possibly get over it i was able to with lactose intollerance to a certain extent. i can eat most dairy within a certain amount and be ok i just cant drink milk straight up unless im near some facilities.
 
[quote name='Sleepkyng']can't you take some pill or something if you're a lacto?[/quote]

Lactaid, but it makes me all bloated.
 
[quote name='xycury']$5 bucks?

I always spent far less than that.... how big are you guys buying yoru ice cream?

as for interesting flavors... I can only find it at Cold Stone... and that would probably be the only reason to go there.

I'm not big on ice cream.. but for me... it's always better when someone else makes my bowl.

I have never gotten sick from our local one.[/quote]
Yea, wtf is everyone saying "5 bucks for one scoop!". It's actually fairly cheap for the quality you get. I get the small for like 3-4 bucks and then buy one get one free. And the Cake Batter ice cream + brownies and sprinkles is the MOFO best! I love that shit.
 
[quote name='Sleepkyng']can't you take some pill or something if you're a lacto?[/quote]

There is a pill, but I don't trust it. Last time I took it, instead of a slight stomach ache and swelling, I was puking up blood and rushed to the hospital. Results may vary.
 
Near me it all depends. There are some nice independent places around but you really have to start driving 20 to 30 minutes away to hit them up, and at that point anything you save in terms of novelty and price are eaten up by gas costs. Unfortunately, this was true at around $1.80 per gallon, much less $4.05 per gallon.

Cold Stone did well by me since people tended to realize that there is way too much ice cream there for one person. Bring in a friend or relative, agree on a flavor and mix-ins, then split it. The price jumps down to $2 to $3 per person and becomes entirely reasonable!

The only problem there is that even though the place is almost always packed every day in summer it's a graveyard from around October through March save for a few people buying ice cream cakes or want a fix. That alone killed the one by my house, and I'm fairly certain the rising gas prices are going to kill the one right outside the mall as well.
 
Yeah, I don't really care for Cold Stone myself. Plus, it kinda sucks for people with allergies to certain nuts because they mix everything on the counters and don't wash it off. I have heard of people getting really bad allergic reactions even though what they ordered didn't contain nuts (since remnants got mixed up in the mix). The times I have had it didn't seem like anything special.
 
I like cold stone, but the nearest one is at school and I've only been there once or twice. It's also a bit too expensive and I'd rather get something at the closer dairy queens.
 
Cold Stone is OK I suppose but how often can you really go? Once or twice a summer? I guess fatties probably go more often than that. No big loss if it closes.
 
The presentation grates on the nerves. Stop fucking singing in the ice cream store.

I've been using online and newspaper coupons so the prices usually wind up ~2.50 each for me and my fiancee.
 
[quote name='shieryda']I still miss TCBY...[/quote]

TCBY is still around. There is one in Orland Park.

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    15822 S La Grange Rd
    Orland Park, IL 60462
    (708) 403-6900
    11.3 miles

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    (219) 865-2240
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    8233 Wicker Ave
    St. John, IN 46373
    (219) 558-2222
    13.9 miles

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  • Gateway Square
    777 N York St
    Hinsdale, IL 60521
    (630) 325-8011
    24.4 miles

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  • Grove Mall
    1340 W 75th St
    Downers Grove, IL 60516
    (630) 963-9559
    24.6 miles

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  • Hawthorne Square
    1807 S Washington St Ste 105
    Naperville, IL 60565
    (630) 416-8229
    26.1 miles

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  • Chicago Premium Outlets
    1650 Premium Outlets Rd
    Space #1245
    Aurora, IL 60504
    (630) 898-9909
    31.6 miles

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  • O'Hare Int'l Airport
    Circular Bldg #6
    O'Hare Field
    Chicago, IL 60666
    (312) 686-6124
    35.4 miles

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    Chicago, IL 60666
    (312) 686-6123
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  • Evanston Subway
    1551 Sherman Ave
    Evanston, IL 60201
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[quote name='BillyBob29']I like Cold Stone but when I do get the random desire for some form of ice cream, Dairy Queen, Baskins Robbins or just a shake/frosty from Wendy's or Sonic fit the bill pretty well and that way I don't have to deal with idiots singing and expecting me to give them a $5 tip for memorizing some corporate slogan like a trained Parrot.[/quote]

Word. Those new frosty shakes at Wendy's are awesome. I went in a Cold Stone once several years ago and never went back. I can't remember what I thought about the ice cream but I'll never forget how much I hated the employees and their stupid singing.
 
I go once in a blue moon for one of their concoctions. They're good, they kick my ass, but they're worth it when I feel the urge to have something ridiculously sweet. The worst was a Reese's and Butterfinger mixed with Dutch Chocolate ice cream. It had me slumped in a corner for hours.
 
I've been once and that was it. As bad as the prices are, it's the singing that keeps me away. I just want ice cream, not a show.
 
[quote name='WeaponX2099']TCBY is still around. There is one in Orland Park.[/quote]

Didn't know about the Orland Park one, but I knew about the Naperville one, it's by one of my uncle's.

Do you know if it's in the same strip mall as the Best Buy*? Or is it in the self standing building where the Gamestop is?


*The Best Buy that was an Omni like 20 years ago. I remember Omni had these Spider-Man chips that were just Munchos in web shapes...

I miss those
 
Certain Cold Stone franchises are in trouble of closing. Not Cold Stone as a chain... There are still very successful Cold Stone stores. This article points out a few that are/were having problems.
 
I enjoyed what I tasted from Cold Stone, but I can't stomach ice cream, so it would not be a loss for me. It seems ice cream shops are going the way of the arcade, which is saddening.
 
I went in there once. The ice-cream was fine...but the price for it was far too much. Haven't been back since.
 
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