Abbott's opens drive-thru location in Henrietta. Here's where

Update, May 22, 2023: Abbott's Frozen Custard has opened a new location at 2755 East Henrietta Road, Henrietta. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. daily.

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Original story, May 1, 2023: A property near the Dome Arena in Henrietta that has been home to two ice cream shops is being turned into an Abbott’s Frozen Custard stand.

The location at 2755 East Henrietta Road opened as a Bruster’s Ice Cream franchise more than 14 years ago, then operated for three years as Happy Days on the Go before closing in late April.

Soon, it will launch as Abbott’s, the town’s third.

“We’re shooting to open on May 21,” said Brenden Drew, vice president of business development.

The building is getting a minor makeover, mostly to add Abbott’s branding and colors.

He said the property, which Abbott's is leasing, was appealing for several reasons.

First, “Henrietta is near and dear to our hearts,” he said.

As a small child, Drew — whose mother Gail Drew owns the company — got his first taste of Abbott’s at the original Henrietta shop on West Henrietta Road, which later moved to inside a Bill Gray’s restaurant at 1225 Jefferson Road. (The other Henrietta Abbott's is at 100 Marketplace Drive.)

The East Henrietta Road location also is highly visible from the street and close to commercial and residential areas.

In addition, there is picnic-table seating in front of and behind the store, which serves a company mission. “We have always wanted Abbott’s to be that place where you can come and enjoy a moment of peace and happiness with family and friends,” Drew said.

But unlike the majority of current Abbott’s locations, it’s a stand-alone building with a drive-thru lane, a huge plus in a post-pandemic world and for people who don't have time to slow down, he said. (Locally, three other Abbott’s locations have drive-thrus: 3208 Latta Road, Greece; 2586 Buffalo Road, Gates; and 150 Eastern Blvd., Canandaigua. There also is an Abbott’s with a drive-thru in Vero Beach, Florida.)

The shop will serve the full Abbott’s menu — from cones and shakes to cakes and pies — and be open seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Hours likely will be noon to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 10 or 10:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, but they may be tweaked after opening and reduced slightly during the winter.

“We’ll let the market dictate that,” Drew said.

He said Abbott’s is talking with more than two dozen former Happy Days on the Go workers about staying on and plans to add more staff.

“We’re always hiring,” he said.

Abbott’s was founded in 1902 by Arthur Abbott, who sold the frozen treat — made with milk, cream, eggs and sugar, and slowly churned to remove the air — at carnivals up and down the Eastern Seaboard. He settled in Rochester in 1926, opening his first store at Lake and Beach avenues in Charlotte, which remains the flagship.

In 1957, Gail Drew’s parents, Leonard and Thelma Schreiber, bought Abbott’s and took the company to the next level through franchising.

Abbott’s now has 37 locations in seven states, most of them franchises. The East Henrietta Road store will be the sixth company-owned Abbott’s.

Drew credits the product’s consistent quality and Abbott's workers for the brand’s longevity.

Simply put, “We excel at making people smile,” he said.

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Abbott's Frozen Custard opens drive-thru location in Henrietta NY