Photo / Courtesy, Facebook
The Gifford's Ice Cream stand in Farmington was opened in 1982.
August 22, 2024
We all scream: Gifford’s closes 42-year-old ice cream stand in Farmington
Photo / Courtesy, Gifford's Ice Cream
The Gifford's Ice Cream stand in Farmington was located at 293 Main St.
Gifford’s Ice Cream is closing one of its oldest ice cream shops, in Farmington, citing ongoing challenges caused by fire and floods last year.
The Farmington stand opened at 293 Main St. in 1982, two years after Gifford’s had established its first shop in Skowhegan.
Gifford’s made the announcement on its Facebook page Wednesday morning. The company said it was forced to make the difficult decision as it has struggled to recover from two floods in 2023 and a fire that damaged the Gifford’s factory in Skowhegan. The Main Street property will go up for sale.
CEO Lindsay (Gifford) Skilling, a 2016 Mainebiz Women to Watch, told Mainebiz that for the last several months, the company had been working to determine the best path forward for the Farmington stand.
“This decision does not come easily for our family and is made with a heavy heart; Farmington was the second stand we opened and a core piece of our history,” said Skilling. “But after experiencing a significant fire at our plant in Skowhegan and two major floods at the stand last year, we need to balance and prioritize resources, and that has led us to make the hard decision to close Farmington.
“We are profoundly grateful for the support and loyalty of our valued customers over the last 42 years, and want to thank every single person who has visited us in Farmington — be it once or every year since opening,” she continued.
“The joy and memories we have shared with everyone who has visited the stand will always hold a special place in our hearts.”
Gifford’s continues to sell its ice cream at six nearby locations and partner stands: the Dutch Treat in Wilton, Farmington Falls Beer Garden in Farmington Falls, the Pine Tree Frosty in Rangeley, Jimmie’s in Dixfield, Frosty Delight in Mexico and Sweet Scoops in Jay.
The company — a fifth-generation, family-owned business — also operates retail stands in Bangor, Skowhegan and Waterville.
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