Ample Hills
An Ample Hills store at Jacob Riis Park in New York. | |
| Industry | Ice cream |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founders | Brian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna |
Key people | Lisa Teach (CEO) |
| Website | www |
Ample Hills is an American ice cream company. Founded by Brian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna as a pushcart in 2010, the company became known for its "playful" flavors. Their first storefront, in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, opened in 2011, selling out 130 gallons of ice cream in just 4 days.[1] It soon expanded into a chain prominent in New York City, with additional locations at one point in Disney World and Los Angeles.[2]
The company laid off all of its employees and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 15, 2020 due to delays in factory construction, operating losses, and other self-described business mistakes.[3] [4][5] Schmitt Industries acquired Ample Hills from bankruptcy for $1 million in June 2020, with the founders exiting a month later.[6][5] Due to failure to pay rent and expenses, Schmitt Industries closed all Ample Hills locations on December 19, 2022.[7]
The founders (Smith and Cuscuna) signed a lease to open a new ice cream company and shop, the Social, in March 2021, backed by investors including Norm Brodsky.[8] Backed by these investors, they bought Ample Hills back for $150,000 in June 2023 and brought in CEO and investor Lisa Teach. However, by late 2023, the pair were fired from the company, after clashes with Teach.[9][10][11]
The Ample Hills story has been used for several Harvard Business School case studies by Thomas Eisenmann.[11]
References
- ^ Gootman, Elissa (June 2, 2011). "So Successful a New Ice Cream Shop Closes After 4 Days". The New York Times. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Kang, Matthew (January 27, 2020). "Ample Hills Creamery closes flagship Los Feliz location after 15 months". Eater LA. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Adams, Erika (March 16, 2020). "Popular Ice Cream Chain Ample Hills Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy". Eater NY. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Rubin, Courtney (February 5, 2021). "The Shocking Meltdown of Ample Hills — Brooklyn's Hottest Ice Cream Company". Marker. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ a b Adams, Erika; Warerkar, Tanay (June 23, 2020). "Ice Cream Chain Ample Hills Acquired by Manufacturing Company for $1M After Bankruptcy". Eater NY. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ Duggan, Kevin (July 7, 2020). "Founders of Ample Hills Creamery leave business following bankruptcy announcement". amNewYork. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ "All Ample Hills ice cream shops close indefinitely". January 11, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ^ Sytsma, Alan (March 16, 2021). "Ample Hills' Founders Return With a New Shop and a New Focus". New York. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ Moskin, Julia (November 29, 2023). "Ample Hills Founders Are Out of the Business Again". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ^ Conrad, Jennifer (November 21, 2023). "EXCLUSIVE: The Ample Hills Co-Founders Have Been Let Go--Less Than 6 Months After They Returned to the Company". Inc. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ a b Moskin, Julia (June 16, 2023). "After an Epic Meltdown, Ample Hills Creamery Aims to Rise Again". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 17, 2023.