Kilowatts to Kindness Event DARIEN

Join us Saturday Sept 10th at our Darien shop from 2-4pm. Come learn about a program where you can help CT FoodBank each month with very little effort and no cash out of your pocket!
We hope to have music and 50% of all sales during the event will be donated to CT Food Bank.

Gofer Wins Best of the Gold Coast Again!

Thanks to the fans for voting for us in the reader poll and selecting Gofer as the Best Ice Cream in Fairfield County. We have now won this award four of the seven years its been running. Thanks to the hardworking staff and the many, many fans of the company. There are many, many, many other shops in the towns we operate and we are so happy we remain a top pick each year! This is significant because despite editors picks and other competitions where advertisers win this is a true write in poll.

We pledge to continue to work hard to stay on top.

Gofer Management

Kilowatts To Kindness Kick Off

We are proud to host an ice cream social to benefit Connecticut Food Bank. We will feature Music by Kristin Errett and 50% of the all ice cream sale proceeds will go directly to CT Food Bank. We will have some green vendors and face painting for the kids. This is an important event as we will be kicking off our sponsorship of CT Food Bank's North American Power Fundraiser.

Join us June 26th 2pm-4pm
Gofer Ice Cream Fairfield
1241 Post Road

Yogurt Flavor of the Week

Gofer Darien is now serving 10 flavors of fat free frozen yogurt. We have a variety of flavor twists added to our Vanilla Yogurt and a flavor of the week. This week is JAVA Flavor come in for a taste. 1020 Post Road Darien. Let us know what flavor you want in the future.

Gofer teams with the CT Food Bank

We are happy to be working with the CT Food Bank as our number one sponsored cause this year. We will be raising funds for this group in several different ways including through our new energy programs (details to follow)

Look for Team Gofer Ice Cream on the donations team page:

Join us at the Bridgeport Walk May 15th.

Yogurt Returns to Darien

This spring we have re-introduced Fat Free Frozen Yogurt in our Darien shop. We have ten flavors including a flavor of the week. This week we have the featured flavor of Almond Nut. Contact us with your suggestions on-line or through the in store feed back box.

Gofer on Bizz Buzz TV.com

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Gofer @ SOUND TIGERS HOST ST. BALDRICK'S DAY SUNDAY

Join Gofer on Sunday April 10 3pm at this awesome event at Harbor Yard for free Gofer Bucks and to join our all new Club Gofer.

Walk with Team Gofer Ice Cream

We will be walking at the MS Walk on April 3rd in Westport CT Join us!

Best of the Gold Coast 2011

Don't forget to vote for us. We have won this in the past several times. Voting is not all online so we need every vote we can get! Thanks

MDA Summer Camp Fund

Once again the Gofer Fans were able to help us donate by buying Shamrocks in all the shops.
We will be sending $300 to the MDA ConnectiKids Fund!
Good job

Bridgeport to re-open soon!

March 21 will mark the re-opening of Gofer Bridgeport. 1019 Main Street Down-town across from the Holiday Inn. - If your name is Stewart or Sara come in that day for your free cone! Spread the word....

MDA Shamrocks on Sale

Help us with our annual tradition of sending kids to summer camp.
Stop into any Gofer shop and buy a shamrock to post in the shop from now until March 17th. All funds as usual will go to MDA Kids fund.

Gofer Day

The First Annual Gofer Day was held on Feb 2nd on the Gofer's cousin, the groundhog's big day. We feel this is a great time to start an annual tradition and what better day to pick? Really?

Dispite the snow and ice on the ground this year many families turned out. Each party was able to flip a special Gofer Coin to see if they would win a free ice cream. Because everybody wins on Gofer Day those that didn't call it right still walked away with a Gofer Buck good for a future trip to Gofer Ice Cream.

Word came during the day that cousin Phil had in fact not seen his shadow, which means the start of Spring is just around the bend.

Pictured to the left are Fiona and Eamonm in the Gofer Darien Shop after a winning flip.

Gofer Energy

We have diversified into the Energy Business! After being a customer of North American Power we took the necessary actions to become a broker for the company. This means you can earn a free $20 Gofer Card just by signing up to save money on your electric bill through our site. Its fast easy and free. Go to our new website to learn all about energy deregulation and how you can save money in just minutes risk free.

Gofer Bridgeport ready to go!

After several months of construction and a year in the planning Gofer Bridgeport should open on Thursday if we pass all final inspections... Pictures to follow


Bridgeport Video..

Music on the Gofer Patio Darien Shop

Join us Saturday Aug 28th 2:30 for featured performer Julie Corbalis! Gofer Ice Cream Darien 1020 Post Road in the middle of Darien.

Gofer grants first Franchise!

Effective Aug 6th, 2010 we have spun off our Greenwich Gofer Ice Cream as our first independently owned Franchise.

Gofer Fairfield looking good

Expansion Continues

Gofer Bridgeport update...

Gofer Fairfield Takes Shape

Future home of our counter and in the back you can see where the soft serve machines will go.

Above you see the side door and part of the parlor area. Also our fancy recessed lights and speakers that will sit just outside of the colorful awning

Gofer Fairfield Looking good...

 
 
 
 

New Club Gofer and Best of Voting time

Join the new club gofer on facebook and win things like Bluefish tickets and ice cream all summer long. Also vote for us this year if you have a second in the Best of The Gold Coast. We have won this award several times and its a great help in our marketing and getting the word out so thank you in advance!

Gofer Westport??

We currently have a unique opportunity to open a shop in a prime location in Downtown Westport. Because the company is already currently involved with other shops we can't open it on our own. Therefore this spot and opportunity is ideal for a franchisee to develop with our help.
Here are some of the benefits the new owner could enjoy:

Favorable location with parking and foot traffic
Already Established as a spot to get ice cream for many years
Reduced Franchise Fee
Supportive landlord
Low cost build-out when compared to white box
Can be ready to open for the spring/summer

Contact us for more information: info@gofericecream.com

New Twitter Test

We are getting ready to launch twitter sites specific for each Gofer shop so you can follow updates regarding flavors, hours, events just for the shops that concern you, the Gofer Fan. feel free to leave comments or Re-tweets to help spread the word

Here is the first one for our first shop "Gofer Greenwich"

http://twitter.com/gofergreenwich

Gofer Tree

This year the Gofer Tree raised over $250 for charity at the Enchanted Forest in Greenwich

Gofer Press Release!

GOFER ICE CREAM TO CONTINUE EXPANSION IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY

Greenwich, Conn., November 18, 2009 – Gofer Ice Cream LLC today announced it will be opening two new shops in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The first addition to the chain, to open this winter, will be in downtown Fairfield. The second new shop will follow debuting sometime in 2010, in downtown Bridgeport. “We are excited to expand the company into new markets. We hope to replicate the success we have had over the past seven seasons in our initial shops.” commented Jay Ragusa, President of Gofer Ice Cream LLC. “I am keenly aware of the economy and undertaking such expansion is not without its risks. However, I believe we have proven our business model works, people seem to like it, and the prospects for each of the new locations are very bright. Also, we feel fortunate to be working with two additional great developers on these ambitious projects. We had a favorable experience with Baywater Properties in the rebuilding of our Darien shop and we can see how having a professional landlord that is very involved in our success is an important factor in that success. We couldn’t pass up these opportunities to book-end our Fairfield County foot print” he also stated.

The parlor in Fairfield will be located at 1241 Post Road in the center known as “The Brick Walk”. (See rendering attached) Developer and owner Ken Kleban of Kleban Properties commented on Gofer’s prospects; “We are thrilled to welcome Gofer Ice Cream as the newest addition to complement the Lifestyle center at The Brick Walk. Gofer's presence is one more reason to spend quality time among our service and specialty retailers, and restaurants. Shop our shops, enjoy our restaurants, and cap the experience with Gofer's quality ice cream."

Downtown Bridgeport is currently undergoing a massive revitalization and Gofer Ice Cream looks to be a pioneer in forwarding that effort. The shop will be located on 1019 Main Street in the building know as The Arcade. The project is a stunning historic restoration of one of the nations first enclosed shopping malls, originally built in 1840. Gofer will be a great choice for ice cream and treats in the downtown Bridgeport area, serving the thousands of daytime workers and a growing residential population. “We maybe early, but as the development progresses I am hopeful this location grows with the city to become just as successful as our other shops” stated Ragusa.

GDC Properties, the developer that has $80 million in commitments to downtown Bridgeport, representative Rich DeMarco commented; "Gofer Ice cream has consistently demonstrated a capability to enter a marketplace and deliver an extraordinary product along with great customer service within a beautifully built retail store. In general, it's a wonderful family based environment that will compliment the many restaurants already established in the downtown and provides another outlet for the new apartment residents, university students, office workers and visitors to the downtown area. We are proud to have them join The Arcade as one of our first few tenants and look forward to seeing their business grow in step with the rest of the project." GDC’s Carre Bevilacqua Harnett, the person responsible for bringing Gofer Ice Cream to the Bridgeport project, said; "Gofer sees the upside of downtown and the feeling will be mutual; how cool will it be to enjoy a Gofer ice cream with its own chocolate chip cone at McLevy Green, or at Seaside Park?"

Gofer Card has Arrived!

We are pleased to announce that starting Sept 1st our Gofer Cash / Gift Card is available in all our shops. You can use it for a gift card or for yourself as it can be reloaded and its accepted in all Gofer shops!

Sneak Peak

Gofer fans here is a sneak peak look at our yet to be announced newest shop opening this winter located in the Brick Walk in downtown Fairfield, CT! Look for a press release next month...

Gofer Sends you to Quassy

We have teamed up with Mort Walker's The Best of Times Magazine to send you and three friends to Quassy Amusement Park. Just clip the Ice Cream cone from the Summer Copy and bring to Gofer to enter. We will hold a drawing in each shop in late Aug. Passes will be good through September.

Gofer Radio now on the air!

Gofer Radio can now be heard in all our shops. Learn about all things Gofer while enjoying your in store treat. Gofer Radio is carefully selected music mixed with messages from Gofer to you all designed to enhance your in store experience. No more inappropriate loud or annoying songs, or commercials to disrupt your Gofer time.

Gofer Wins Best of Gold Coast Again!

For the third time we have won Best of the Gold Coast of CT for "Best Ice Cream". Yes we have now won this people's choice award three times 2006, 2008 & 2009. Thanks to all that voted and we will work hard to stay on top. We have some new developments that will expand our reach to be announced soon...

Gofer Supports the Troops

This month in our Greenwich shop we are teaming up with the Wounded Warrior Project and we are collecting post cards from our customers to send to our returning troops. Additionally, we are helping to sponsor an event on April 25th, 2009 at the Belle Haven Yacht Club in Greenwich Connecticut by donating the ice cream. Look for the Gofer Crew and our Mobile Cart if you attend.

Details:
The evening starts at 6:00 for cocktails and 7:15 dinner. There will also be a silent auction. John Fernandez will be representing WWP and will be speaking at the engagement.
Ticket prices are $200, $350 and $500 contact: info@woundedwarriorproject.org

Stamford Bunny Winner

This year's winner in Stamford is 5 year old Katie Abbott. Congratulations on your victory and enjoy your bunny.

Greenwich Shop Bunny Winner!

This year's winner in Greenwich is 8 year old Julia Abbazia. Congratulations Julia good job!

New Partnership

Gofer Ice Cream is pleased to announce that this summer we are joining forces with SCORE! Educational Centers of Darien. We look forward to hosting and developing several in store events. Leaders from SCORE! will organize and promote Gofer’s Family Trivia Nights, where kids in grades K-9 can win Gofer prizes and their parents can appreciate the benefits of SCORE!’s unique approach to learning. In addition, Gofer will participate in other fun raffles and co-marketing events outside of our shop.

Gofer Fans Contribute to MDA

Once again Gofer Fans teamed with Gofer to donate a combined $350 to James Lacerenza's efforts to fund the MDA Summer Camp fund by selling Shamrocks in all stores this month. Good Job! Thanks to the fans and the staff for their efforts.

Gofer and MDA

Once again we are collecting funds by selling shamrocks at all three Gofer shops. Stop in to help James out. Or donate on line:

https://www.joinmda.org/mdaconnectikids/jameslacerenza

Winner Valentines Monkey

Greenwich Store Winner Casey Kelly





















Stamford Store winner was Danny Ward.
Congratulations to the winners. Look for the name the Spring Chic Contest in the future

Gofer Wins Best of Gold Coast Again!

We would like to thank all that voted for us. This is a very important award as its a people's choice which is what it most important. Gofer was named Best Ice Cream Shop in all of Fairfield County, CT. This is a great honor and we will do our best to keep on top.

New Blended Ice Coffee

We are pleased to announce we have begun selling a new line up of blended ice coffees. Complete with whipped cream and depending on the flavor, other toppings like malt powder, hot fudge, or caramel.
Blended coffees are made with coffee, milk and ice and topped with whipped cream .
Initially we have the following flavors:
Kona Mocha
Dulce de Leche
Coffee
Vanilla Latte
Chocolate Malt

So far they have been a hit. Let us know if you want more flavors.

Gofer Lite F-Factor Diet Approved!

We are pleased to announce or Gofer Lite has been approved by the very popular Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD and creator of The F-Factor Diet . She compared Gofer Lite to other fat free treats and we came out on top! Here is what she says on her website:

"We searched the country for the best frozen treat and found it at a small, but rapidly expanding chain in Connecticut. Gofer Ice Cream currently has three stores in Darien, Greenwich, and Stamford. They created a soft-serve, non-fat Gofer-Lite which, besides from being delicious contains 11 g Fiber per 4 oz serving! This product is definitely F-Factor diet approved."

We will have more info in the Gofer stores shortly...

Gofer Party in a Box Winner...

Erik Hale of Darien is the winner of the Grand Opening Raffle for the Gofer Party in a box. Congratulations Erik and his 45 closest friends.

Gofer in Fairfield County Business Journal

Gofer Ice Cream reclaims its Darien roots
By RYAN DORAN

May 12, 2008

Gofer Ice Cream will reopen at the location in Darien where it began five years ago.

The shop, after agreeing to shut its doors in order for the location owner to reconstruct the streetscape and shop exterior, has returned to its Boston Post Road location.

“I’m happy to be back in Darien, we took a chance by closing the doors, and we hope to welcome the Darien customers back,” said Jay Ragusa, owner of Gofer Ice Cream.

After a two-year absence, Gofer’s Darien location, which was once a seasonal operation, will reopen at 1020 Boston Post Road, ready to serve cold desserts year-round. The new shop features indoor and outdoor seating.

“Darien is the ideal place to debut our new premiere store,” said Ragusa. “Because we already established a presence in the community and a reputation for quality ice cream and service, we look forward to being well received again.”

The location is currently being renovated into a mixed-use development that will include several new retail stores, restaurants, and office space with parking in the rear of the building.

Gofer also has locations in Stamford and Greenwich.

The Gofer Ice Cream store is known for its red, white and blue cartoon logo of a gopher enjoying an ice cream cone.

Gofer is also using the new store to introduce the Gofer chocolate bar, featuring gourmet loose and boxed chocolates from around the world, and Italian ice.

“The highly anticipated reopening of Gofer Ice Cream at 1020 Post Road promises to contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Darien,” said Debbie Parnon, executive director of Darien Revitalization Inc. “We are excited about the impact Gofer will have downtown. Jay identified a niche market and responded by expanding his original menu of delicious ice cream to include a new chocolate bar and Gofer Italian ice. This is the kind of creative thinking we are looking to our merchants to engage in. Variety of merchandise and quality of goods and services offered by downtown merchants will encourage more foot traffic. Gofer has the added bonus of offering their customers an outdoor eating venue.”

In 2006, Gofer Ice Cream was named Best Ice Cream Shop in “The Best of The Gold Coast,” a people’s choice award encompassing Fairfield County.

“It’s an all-around upgrade for the whole Gofer chain,” said Ragusa. “The business is a fun business; people are always in a good mood. It’s a happy experience and the social return on investment is high.”

Gofer Grand Opening Morning
Shop Manager Kenny Bruckner Jr. Gets ready to greet fans.
Face painting and ice cream for all...

Gofer in the News...

Scooping the sweet flavors of success

By Mark Ginocchio
Staff Writer
Stamford Advocate

Article Launched: 05/03/2008 02:56:55 AM

For Jay Ragusa and his Gofer Ice Cream chain, Darien was worth a return engagement.

The former UBS money manager turned ice cream store maven is marking the reopening of his Darien 1020 Post Road location today after a nearly two-year hiatus from the town.

With two other stores in Greenwich and Stamford, Darien's Gofer Ice Cream is re-opening in a downtown that is dramatically different from when the store shut its doors in 2006 to make way for new development.

"There's a lot more activity now, more people and more foot traffic," said Ragusa, 36, a Stamford resident who opened his first Gofer store in Greenwich in 2003. "That's what's giving us the confidence to do this."

When Ragusa first opened the Darien store in 2004, the operation was designed to be seasonal - providing a variety of soft-serve and hard ice creams during the summer months.

Since then, town officials have looked to increase the emphasis on foot traffic and discretionary spending in downtown Darien - with Gofer playing a permanent part in that plan.

New restaurants and retailers have opened up in the area. The Gofer shop is part of the Merrill Lynch building, a larger business development that includes the offices of Merrill Lynch; Pierce, Fenner & Smith; an Ole Mole Mexican Restaurant; Williams & Warren body and skin care clinic; and a Lucy women's active wear.

"This is a peek into the future of what we'd like to see downtown," said Debbie Parnon, executive director of Darien

Revitalization Inc. "There's some good synergy for a younger crowd. I'm very excited they (Gofer) are in the mix. It's all starting to come together."

The 1,000 square-foot store will feature seating indoors and outdoors, Ragusa said.

In addition to the ice cream, the Darien Gofer will be the first to sell Italian ice and feature a gourmet "chocolate bar" of loose and boxed candies from around the world.

Ragusa said he developed the know-how to build his ice cream business from his experiences in his previous professional life.

After graduating college in 1993, Ragusa started working for UBS as a money manager. Shortly after Sept. 11, 2001, Ragusa started examining his other options, and he went back to an idea he had long considered.

"I always had an idea of opening up Gofer Ice Cream," he said. "I wanted to open something that had more of a hometown feel."

Now, "I'm basically managing my own portfolio," Ragusa said.

With its red, white and blue cartoon logo of a gopher eating ice cream, "Gofer Ice Cream" was actually derived as a play on words - telling people to "go for ice cream," he said.

Darien business observers foresee a lot of people in town taking Ragusa up on his suggestion.

"When he was at his old store, there were always people lined up standing around the corner," said Carol Wilder-Tamme, president and chief executive officer of the Darien Chamber of Commerce. "People will come from the movies and get their kids ice cream, or people coming from the restaurants can get dessert. . . . People always eat ice cream."

Gofer in the News...

THE DARIEN TIMES

Apr 24, 2008
Gofer Ice Cream returns to town



Gofer Ice Cream, a local ice cream chain known for its red, white and blue cartoon logo of a gopher enjoying an ice cream cone, will celebrate its return to Darien on Saturday, May 3.

Currently located in Stamford and Greenwich, where the first store debuted five years ago, Gofer Ice Cream will open at 1020 Boston Post Road, the site of the original store in Darien. A grand reopening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 11 on May 3.

Gofer Ice Cream originally opened in Darien in 2004 at the same Boston Post Road location, which is undergoing a major renovation to a mixed-use development that will include several new retail stores, restaurants, and office space with parking in the rear of the building.

The Gofer Ice Cream store in Darien will have a refined interior design and seating inside and outdoors on the new Gofer plaza.

The new store will offer the current products sold throughout the Gofer Ice Cream chain, plus the new Gofer Chocolate Bar featuring gourmet loose and boxed chocolates from around the world. In addition to this, in response to local demand for authentic Italian ice, Gofer will be adding “Gofer Ice” in a variety of flavors.
Gofer Founder and President Jay Ragusa looks forward to returning to Darien where his store was warmly received by the community during the three seasons the store was there.

“Darien is the ideal place to debut our new premiere store,” Ragusa said. “Because we already established a presence in the community and a reputation for quality ice cream and service, we look forward to being well received again.”

The highly anticipated reopening of Gofer Ice Cream at 1020 Post Road promises to contribute to the vibrancy of downtown Darien,” said Debbie Parnon, executive director of Darien Revitalization Inc. “We are excited about the impact Gofer will have downtown. Jay identified a niche market and responded by expanding his original menu of delicious ice cream to include a new chocolate bar and Gofer Italian Ice. This is the kind of creative thinking we are looking to our merchants to engage in. Variety of merchandise and quality of goods and services offered by downtown merchants will encourage more foot traffic. Gofer has the added bonus of offering their customers an outdoor eating venue.”





“The Gofer Ice Cream concept is a local entrepreneurial venture. The idea was first conceived in 1998 by Ragusa, a Stamford native, while earning his master’s degree at Fordham University Graduate School of Business. Following eight years on Wall Street, in 2003, Ragusa put his Gofer Ice Cream concept into action, launching the first store in Greenwich in the Indian Field Shopping Center. Customer reaction was so positive that he opened two more stores in Darien at the Post Road location and Stamford in the Willard Shopping Center on High Ridge Road, serving the neighborhoods of northern Stamford.

In 2006, Gofer Ice Cream was named Best Ice Cream Shop in “The Best of The Gold Coast,” a people’s choice award encompassing Fairfield County.

Today, in addition to Darien, Gofer Ice Cream stores are located at 522 East Putnam Ave., in Greenwich and 869 High Ridge Road in Stamford.

Gofer currently offers a variety of items that focus on hard and soft serve ice creams, fat-free options like smoothies and Gofer Lite, and a range of related ice cream products, such as sundaes, shakes, malts, floats, cakes and pies.

Darien 2.0 Opening Night

Not 100% done yet but we are open!

Darien Outside looking good

Gofer Darien coming together

Upgraded counter takes shape...


























Preview of our new unique bench, with ice cream lamps












Work on bench continues, You can see the Gofer Chocolate bar in the middle of this shot.

Gofer Fans Donate to MDA

This year fans of Gofer collectively donated $250 between both the Greenwich and Stamford stores for the MDA Summer Camp fund. Thank you.

Darien Update...

Here we see a future counter bar area. Tile and fininshed look taking shape

Future Gofer Chocolate Bar Cabinet is in place

A few from behind dipping counter. You can see our front door in the distance as well as our future custom bench seating to the left.