Ice Cream Empire | Popular family chain comes to Lancaster
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MORE THAN DESSERT: The Kimball family has opened its third ice cream attraction in Lancaster. But the businesses offer more than dairy delights. Pictured is a typical “cruise night.â€
When the Kimball family decided to bring its Westford-based chain of souped-up ice cream stands to Lancaster, it wasn’t because of formal market research or an analysis of the small town’s demographics.
According to Mary Beth Rattey, general manager of Kimball Farm at Oakridge, which opened in Lancaster at the start of the summer season, it was the former owners of the shop that initiated the sale. When the Harpers, a family with several farm operations in the North Central Massachusetts area, decided to sell their Oakridge Farm Stand, Rattey said they approached the Kimballs.
According to Rattey, the rustic building with exposed beams located on acres of Harper farmland seemed like just the right place for Kimball.
“All of that just meshes well.” she said. “From one family farm to another. It’s been wonderful.”
Expansion Strategy
In fact, Rattey said, that’s the same way the fourth-generation family business acquired its other two satellite locations, in Carlisle and Jaffrey, N.H.: Family farms contacted the Kimballs with an opportunity.
Kimball Farm Ice Cream evolved from a Westford dairy farm that the great-grandfather of current owners Michael and Peter Kimball owned back in the 1930s. The family started making its own ice cream, and that soon became its claim to fame. Then, it started adding attractions: mini-golf, a driving range, bumper boats, exotic animals and a balloon ride, among others.
So far, Kimball’s Lancaster location offers ice cream, seafood and a country store, and hosts cruise nights with classic cars. Those activities alone have proved popular.
“They’ve been received quite enthusiastically,” said Lancaster Town Administrator Orlando Pacheco. “It looks like they’re drawing people from quite a distance, as far as New Hampshire.”
But Rattey said more of the amusement park-style entertainment is planned there too. She said the company is working with engineers and town officials to figure out what attractions make sense for the location. Mini-golf and a driving range are likely starting places, she said.
“You should spend the day, relax, play, come back and get your ice cream,” she said.
But not everyone is thrilled with Kimball’s plans for Lancaster. Bruce Gurall is one of the owners of Lancaster Golf Center, a nearby spot with a driving range, mini-golf, and other sports attractions — and an ice cream shop.
So far, Gurall said, the 17-year-old business hasn’t suffered due to competition from Kimball, but he’s worried about what will happen if its competitor does add more activities.
“There’s barely enough business for us,” he said. “To divide what’s there again doesn’t make sense for anybody.”
A few years back, the Golf Center was considered as a possible site for a Wal-Mart. That plan never moved forward, but Gurall said if the new competition hurts the center’s business it could push the owners to look harder at possible development in the future.
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