Bruster’s Real Ice cream in Washington Township NJ (Gloucester County) will be reopening later this year, purchased by a “Township” family who will also operate the business.
This is extra awesome news for Washington Township as the beloved Bruster’s on Greentree Rd was thought to have been gone forever! In fact, the ice cream store didn’t open at all last season as two different companies had unsuccessfully attempted to redevelop the property as a car wash!
Plus Bruster’s makes all of their delicious ice cream… right in the store.
Another key aspect to the story is that husband Tim is an army veteran, and just as he and wife Kristen are starting the process to get the business reopened for the upcoming season… he is being deployed 6,000 miles away to support his Country!
Thank you Tim for your service! This of course will add some extra challenges to getting everything ready for a Bruster’s opening day
Bruster’s Ice Cream and Washington Township (History)
While Bruster’s is a franchise operation of 200 independently owned locations, all of their ice cream is made the old fashioned way… a slow kettle process designed specifically to create the Bruster’s flavor. With every scoop made in house your ice cream will always be thick, creamy and fresh.
Bruster’s has over 150 handcrafted recipes which they rotate through 24 ever-changing options!
For the Washington Township Bruster’s it was opened originally around 2007/8 by an out-of-state owner who was looking for a fun community investment. Around 2021 the business was put up for sale.
Two different car wash operators saw the property as potential for expanding their businesses. One was approved and changed their plans, and another had a meeting set looking for approval, but then cancelled it.
Bruster’s Washington Township – New Ownership, New Plans
I always say there’s something special about the residents of Washington Township and their love for the town… Evidenced by how many “Township” residents choose to open businesses in their hometown! It’s at a level that few other South Jersey small towns can match.
Washington Township residents Tim and Kristen Sorrentino are the new owners of Bruster’s Ice Cream located on Greentree Road.
Tim is a lifelong Township resident who grew up in town, and after he and Kristen married… they both decided that Washington Township was the perfect community to raise their family in.
Kristen is from Burlington County and the couple met while both attended Rowan University.
So you’re likely wondering; When are they reopening? And what about Nathan’s Hot Dogs, who had shared the location with Bruster’s?
I had a chance to speak with Tim this morning who is currently in another part of the county as part of the Army National Guard. Tim loves his country as much as he loves Washington Township, served in the Army, and will soon be deploying with the Army to a foreign country.
First off, you may have caught on already that I have only really been referencing Bruster’s.
Tim tells me that with the reopening of the business, Nathans Hot Dogs will not be part of the offerings.
While we all considered the Greentree Road eatery one business, there are actually separate costs to operate both brands and in looking at the numbers, the couple decided to focus only on Bruster’s.
The timing is not set yet, but obviously they hope to be open sometime during this Summer.
While Tim absolutely is proud to serve his country when needed, his deployment will likely make things a little more challenging for the couple, as Kristen picks up a larger share of the startup responsibilities.
I really appreciate Tim reaching out to me to allow me to share the news particularly when this is very early in the process.
So early in fact, Kristen still needs to attend the Bruster’s franchise training which includes classes on the entire business of Bruster’s, from operating all of the ice cream equipment to the business side aspects as well.
And even with an existing building in place, the Washington Township couple have identified several areas that they will be upgrading.
Tim tells me overall the building is staying the same as you would expect, but they will be adding a new top awning wrap featuring just the Bruster’s name.
A larger effort will be the installation of a menu board, which is expected to be a more modern digital screen style sign which will be easier to update, and can switch over to feature specific products. The new menu board, point-of-sale system, and online ordering are likely to be integrated.
Additionally, with the business closed for last season, the landscaping and other maintenance items need to be addressed.
I really enjoyed my conversation with Tim and I look forward to meeting his wife Kristen. I’ll be back to let folks know when they are opening, and maybe a livestream or video!
Links and Location
Bruster’s Real Ice Cream Sewell – Summer 2024
305 Greentree Road
Sewell, NJ