Blue Bell returns to stores as Brenham looks to the future
Summer is here at last for Brenham, TX.
Delivery trucks carrying Blue Bell Ice Cream started making their stops around the company's home turf Monday morning.
While patiently waiting for a delivery, Charlie Pyle with "Must Be Heaven" helped his crew get the Blue Bell display cooler ready that's been empty for months.
"Wiping off the glass, getting the dust off of it," Pyle joked.
He's hoping to have a scoop of Homemade Vanilla at some point -- one of the few flavors being released first.
"It's been since April 22nd, not that I'm keeping track," Pyle said.
Across town at "Scoops," the Blue-Bell truck had just delivered half-gallons when we walked up.
Smith says these last few months without Blue Bell have been rough.
"You get used to it after a while you know, you start having a good business that you've worked on for years and years and all of a sudden: zero. So today is a very good day," Smith said.
Also at Scoops we ran into Blue Bell Sales Manager Freddie Hugo.
He says the mood at Blue Bell is a good one.
"They're getting reports of how well the products...how well it's selling and so they've got to be cheering, got to be cheering," Hugo said.
But he's been so busy, he hasn't gotten a chance to have a taste yet.
"That's just it. And I've got my tea and my sandwich but I will have some Homemade Vanilla tonight when I get home, trust me," he said.
On Monday morning, Brenham city leaders celebrated Blue Bell's comeback.
After the public health crisis at the city's pride and joy earlier this year, the workforce in Brenham took a hit.
But U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce For Economic Development, Jay Williams announced some help is on the way -- a $1.35 million grant to build a workforce training center. Something the city has been hoping for even before the crisis.
"This is a model for other communities that have faced similar economic challenges and I think this is important to note that this is the largest grant we've made in the State of Texas this year," Williams said.
HEB says Blue Bell was delivered to Central Texas stores in Austin, Bastrop, Buda, Dripping Springs, Elgin, Georgetown, Kyle, La Grange, Leander, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Burnet, Kingsland and Marble Falls.
HEB says if the shelves are empty, don't worry...more will be delivered tomorrow.
The plant in Brenham is not producing ice cream just yet, it's being made at the Alabama plant. City leaders are hoping that it will be soon.