Where to find Thrifty ice cream in Stanislaus County after Rite Aid closures
As Rite Aid shuts stores across the United States as part of its latest bankruptcy, hundreds of Thrifty ice cream counters in California will close alongside them.
The Philadelphia-based pharmacy chain first filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2023, then again in May 2025 due to the company facing “financial challenges, intensified by the rapidly evolving retail and health care landscapes,” according to a Rite Aid news release.
After hearing that Rite Aid would close its remaining Stanislaus County locations by late July, a reader asked The Modesto Bee: “More importantly, where will we be able to buy Rite Aid-Thrifty Ice Cream?”
Here’s where you can still find Thrifty ice cream in Stanislaus County after the Rite Aid closures:
What is Thrifty ice cream?
Thrifty ice cream started in 1940 at a small factory in West Hollywood, according to the company website.
“Angelenos soon flocked to the flagship Thrifty Drug Store in downtown Los Angeles to sample ice cream from the soda fountain,” the ice cream company said on its website.
Thrify ice cream quickly “attained cult status along the West Coast,” the company said, winning awards and celebrity shoutouts.
What makes Thrifty ice cream award winning?
More than 80 years later, Thrifty said, its ice cream is crafted with the same focus on quality that first made it famous.
“We still use the same recipe with fresh milk from local dairies,” the ice cream company said. “And when it comes to quality, no step is too much, like mixing in real fruit or freshly baked cookies.”
Which flavors of ice cream does Thrifty sell?
According to the company website, Thrifty offers the following flavors:
- Black cherry
- Blueberry cheesecake
- Butter pecan
- Cappucino crunch
- Caramel cookie crunch
- Chocolate
- Chocolate chip
- Chocolate brownie with walnuts
- Chocolate chip cookie dough
- Chocolate lovers
- Chocolate malted krunch
- Chocolate peanut butter
- Chocolate peanut butter cup
- Coconut pineapple
- Cookies ‘n’ cream
- Cotton candy
- French vanilla
- Mint ‘n’ chip
- Mocha almond fudge
- Pecan praline
- Pistachio nut
- Rainbow sherbet
- Raspberry cheesecake
- Rocky road
- Strawberry vanilla
- Vanilla bean
A new Thrifty ice cream flavor is also listed as “coming soon.”
Where can I find Thrifty ice cream in Stanislaus County?
According to the Thrifty website, you can find the popular ice cream brand in the freezer section of several grocery retailers across California, including Albertsons, Safeway and Vons.
Here’s a list of retailers in Stanislaus County selling Thrifty ice cream containers:
- Cardenas — 1612 Crows Landing Road, Modesto
- Food 4 Less — 1561 Mitchell Road, Ceres
- Foodmaxx — 1845 Countryside Drive, Turlock
- Foodmaxx — 2020 W Briggsmore Ave., Modesto
- Pioneer Market — 12138 Yosemite Blvd., Waterford
- Quik Stop — 1501 Paradise Road, Modesto
- Quik Stop — 110 La Loma Ave., Modesto
- Quik Stop — 1532 Lakewood Ave., Modesto
- Safeway — 201 McHenry Ave., Modesto
- Safeway — 3051 Countryside Drive, Turlock
- Save Mart — 3401 Oakdale Road, Modesto
- Save Mart — 2100 Standiford Ave., Modesto
- Save Mart — 801 Oakdale Road, Modesto
- Save Mart — 3601 Pelandale Ave., Modesto
- Save Mart — 2916 Whitmore Ave., Ceres
- Save Mart — 2595 Geer Road, Turlock
- Save Mart — 1631 Lander Ave., Turlock
- Save Mart — 1449 East F St., Oakdale
- Save Mart — 2237 Claribel Road, Riverbank
- Vallarta Supermarkets — 2401 East Orangeburg Ave., Suite 250, Modesto
- Vallarta Supermarkets — 3900 Pelandale Ave., Modesto
