Herrell's Ice Cream, which is still in existence. He stepped down as a day-to-day operator in 2014. The "Smoosh-In" Steve's trademarked the term "smoosh-in," which forced competitors to call it the mix-in. The smoosh-in consisted of candies or other ingredients blended into the ice cream to order. The popularity of the Heath Bar smoosh-in, created by Steve's and later used at other chains, prompted the Heath company to expand its operation to include a commercial foods division. Later chains took the concept of the smoosh-in and applied it to their operations, creating a whole new industry around it. The business concept at Steve's inspired other chains, such as Cold Stone Creamery and Amy's Ice Creams, and products like the Dairy Queen Blizzard and Wendy's Twisted Frosty product lines. 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." Steve has been credited with inspiring the founders of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, whose original store, which opened in 1978, also included -- like Steve's -- a freezer to churn the ice cream, and a player piano. A photo of Steve, Ben and Jerry hangs on the wall of Herrell's Northampton, Massachusetts store. Brand revival of Steve's Ice Cream The Steve's Ice Cream brand was acquired by David Stein in 2009, a former employee of Steve's when the company was owned by Integrated Resources in the 1980s. The new Brooklyn-based Steve's Ice Cream was launched in 2011 with the distribution of packaged ice cream (with guar gum added) plus stores located in Manhattan and Brooklyn. David Stein and The Fresh Ice Cream Co.—which was doing business as Steve’s Ice Cream—filed for bankruptcy in February 2017, and was purchased by Dean Foods Company of Dallas, Texas in June 2017. As of July 2021, Dean Foods does not show Steve's Ice Cream as one of the brands on its website. See also Marble Slab Creamery References External links Herrell's Ice Cream, Steve and Judy Herrell's current business Restaurants established in 1973 Defunct companies based in Massachusetts Defunct restaurant chains in the United States Ice cream parlors in the United States Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2017 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 Defunct restaurants in Massachusetts