By Heather Chapman
LEXINGTON, Ky. – After months of financial problems, eight Graeter's ice cream parlors are closing Friday, including four in northern Kentucky and all four locations in Lexington. International Brand Services, the franchise that owns those eight stores, attempted to sell them to Graeter's corporate, but the deal fell through.
The Romany Road location in Lexington was packed Thursday night, with lines going out the door at times. Twenty-two year-old Emily Royster was there for her favorite coffee ice cream. She says she has a lot of fond memories of Graeter's from her childhood.
"I used to ride my bike here with my grandparents, and we would come up here like every Friday or Saturday night when we were with them. We'd spend the night and come up and have ice cream, and oh my gosh, we had so many good memories here. I love this place."
Graeter's will be open from noon until 11 p.m. Friday. But if you don't make it, take heart: Graeter's corporate says they might reopen some locations in the spring.