Local Highlight: Bart’s Ice Cream Co.

On a hot summer day, when the afternoon has stretched towards its end and it’s time for a little refreshment before the evening’s activities – there is one New England tradition that’s timeless. Heading over to the ice cream shop and savoring a scoop. Be it a grandparent’s traditional role of treating the kiddos, a sweet way to end a romantic evening, or simply an activity for two old friends sharing a bit of time together.

Ice cream captures the summertime nostalgia of childhood joy in a way little else can. When you’re in Western Massachusetts, few have greater claim to that nostalgia than Bart’s Ice Cream Co.

Bart’s Ice Cream Co. was established in 1976 by one Hobart D. Smith, and has changed hands twice since then. In 1978 it was purchased by Barbara Fingold and Gary Schaefer, who also acquired the Snow’s Ice Cream brand in 1983. Then in 2016 Barbra and Gary sold both companies to the current owner, Tom Schmidt.

At its inception Bart’s had a brick and mortar shop in Northampton. It did change locations in 1990, but Bart’s was in Northampton through the mid 2000’s. Eventually Bart’s opened another scoop shop, this time in Amherst, which was a fixture of the town until 2020. Plenty of folks can remember both stores. For decades their shop in the heart of downtown Amherst really captured what a New England ice cream shop could be – right down to the brass ice cream cone door handles, large waffle cones, and plenty of available toppings at the counter.

With all the famous flavors on display for scooping and sampling. For many folks who grew up in and around Western Massachusetts, Bart’s is an iconic brand. Their packaged ice cream is sold in stores, both large and small, and has a reputation for quality which has never shifted.

For a very long time now Bart’s ice cream has been made in their Greenfield facility, and it’s still going strong. This is where the magic happens. Their ammonia cooled industrial sized ice cream machine is still turning out pints and half gallons at a rapid pace. It’s hooked up to large holding containers where flavorings are added to their base before the ice cream mix is cooled and prepped.

When needed, they have a second, more specialized machine, hooked up to the front of the extruder for incorporating their quality inclusions. Then the finished product is hardened through a rapid cooling process as each container is hand packed. It’s a demanding process that requires familiarity with the equipment, as well as foresight and thoughtfulness in advance. Their crew runs roughly 600 gallons of ice cream on a production day. They go through the whole production process a few times a week, yielding a minimum of 1200 gallons, but in the summer months they can easily do 1500 gallons or more. And once the machines start ruining a batch, they don’t stop till it’s all done.

Their team is fairly light for the amount of work they accomplish. Besides Tom the owner, there is an office manager, a driver, and 2-3 production staff to generate and distribute 14 regular flavors plus seasonal offerings.

Their days tend to run 8-10 hours, but any complications or heavy demand can quickly push that to 10-12. After each container is packed it’s checked for quality and carefully loaded into the freezer for distribution.

Sarah Johnson, the company’s Production & Office Manager, plans the production runs and makes sure everything meets the company’s high standards.

One of the things that surprised her was just how consistently good the ice cream is, at a base level. And a large part of that is due to the quality of ingredients. They run Bart’s as all natural as possible, making room for locally sourced inclusions, while loading each pint up as much as they can. Local inclusions include strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and maple syrup, and snickerdoodle chunks from Sweet Lucy’s Bakeshop.

Another important factor in making Bart’s so creamy and delish is the very rich fat content in their base mix. They aren’t filling it with air and water. By weight alone, you’re getting more for your dollar, but the palate is the true test.

There is just such a clear difference to the true premium taste, especially when you’re enjoying a scoop in the heat. It’s what got Bart’s name in homes throughout New England. Sarah still gets calls regularly from folks discovering their brand as far away as Maine, winning new customers to the Bart’s tradition all the time.

Moving forward, the company has dreams of a new facility, adding some modern automation and streamlined production. This would open up the possibility of time for them to consider new flavors and suggestions from their loyal customer base. As it is, they still keep a number of classic flavors on the available list simply to keep folks happy and content. Snow’s Orange Pineapple is a great example of this. It doesn’t move as quickly as other flavors, but the very moment it’s not on shelves they hear about it. It’s just a testament to the fact that both brands hold a place in the hearts of New Englanders.

Like summer itself, hand-scooped cones and cups full of that famous Bart’s natural ice cream are available at The Creamery every year from Memorial Day Weekend through Indigenous Peoples Day at the beginning of October.

Whether you choose to place your order through our recently refurbished ice cream window, or as a delicious afterthought to an afternoon grocery run, Bart’s Ice Cream & The Old Creamery Co-op are the perfect way to celebrate summer in New England.

Our Ice Cream window opens this weekend, with the following flavor options:

  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
  • Vanilla
  • Mint Chip
  • Deep Purple Cow
  • Mass Mocha
  • Three Geeks and a Readhead
  • Chunky Chocolate Mousse w/Raspberry
  • Rotating Seasonal Fruit Flavors

Bart’s
Ice Cream Co.

Looking to try a scoop? Our Ice Cream window is open, and our Deli is happy to help!

Prefer to enjoy your ice cream at home? Make sure to check the coolers for all the favorites – We carry both Bart’s pints and Snow’s half gallons.