Steve's Ice Cream

Instead of having pre-mixed flavors like chocolate chip at his store, he had his staff mix freshly made ice cream with candy or other confections based upon customer requests.

These candy additions were called "mix-ins," and the custom-blended flavors proved to be a success with customers.

In 1977, Herrell sold his company for $80,000 to Joe Crugnale, the future founder of the Bertucci's restaurant chain.

Franchise owners felt they were being undercut by making the Steve's brand available in grocery stores.

[9] MSNBC travel/leisure journalist Tom Austin credits Herrell for this innovative milestone in the ice cream industry: "Modern gourmet ice cream is widely considered to have been born at the original Steve's in Boston.

[11][5] A photo of Steve, Ben and Jerry hangs on the wall of Herrell's Northampton, Massachusetts store.

[16] As of July 2021, Dean Foods does not show Steve's Ice Cream as one of the brands on its website.

Steve's Ice Cream depicted in Dan Mazur's "Seafood Sundae" from Leftovers of the Living Dead (Fat Cat Funnies, 2010).