Curtis Blake

Curtis L. Blake
Born (1917-04-15) April 15, 1917
Nationality United States
Occupation Businessman, philanthropist
Years active 1935-1979
Known for Co-founder of the Friendly Ice Cream Corporation[1]

Curtis L. Blake (born April 15, 1917) is a retired American businessman and philanthropist.[2][3][4][5]

Biography

Born to Herbert Prestley Blake and Ethel Blake, Curtis and his elder brother, Stewart Prestley Blake (known as "S. Prestley Blake"), jointly founded the Friendly Ice Cream Corporation (later known more commonly as "Friendly's"), in 1935 (during the Great Depression) in their native Massachusetts. By the 1970s, the brothers began to fight over the direction of the business. The company was sold to Hershey Foods in 1979 for $164 million.

Under Hershey Foods, Friendly's grew to more than 800 eateries, the highest number in its history. But the chain began to flounder because of high labor costs and intense competition. Donald Smith, a veteran restaurant executive, bought Friendly's for $375 million in 1988. Most analysts believed he paid far too much for the struggling firm, strapping the company a huge debt.[6][7]

Other

A former patron and benefactor of the Springfield, Massachusetts-based American International College, Blake asked that his name be removed from the school's campus following the decision by the AIC to close the off-campus Curtis Blake Day School in June 2015 for 37 students students with language-learning disabilities, reportedly due to declining enrollment. The Children's Study Home Students, also of Springfield, stepped in to provide for the children who would otherwise have been displaced.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Friendly's and its founders are aging well - The Boston Globe".
  2. ↑ Jones, Tim (2017-04-14). "Co-Founder of Friendly's Ice Cream Celebrating 100th Birthday". NBC Boston. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  3. ↑ Jones, Tim (2017-04-14). "Co-Founder of Friendly's Ice Cream Celebrating 100th Birthday". NECN. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  4. ↑ Sy Becker (2017-04-13). "Friendly's co-founder Curtis Blake's 100th birthday celebrated". WWLP.com. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  5. ↑ Jim Kinney. "Friendly's co-founder Curtis Blake celebrates 100th birthday". Masslive.com. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  6. ↑ "Friendly's co-founder S. Prestley Blake nears 100th birthday; Springfield to celebrate". masslive.com.
  7. ↑ "Friendly's and its founders are aging well". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Friendly's co-founder Curtis Blake has AIC remove his name from campus building". Masslive.com. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
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