After three years as a top spot to “go for” ice cream, the beloved franchise has closed its Westport location. It leaves behind not only an empty storefront but a community of loyal customers who appreciated the shop’s wide variety of sweet treats.
Opening in August of 2022, Gofer quickly became a favorite hangout for local students, families and anyone craving their favorite frozen dessert. Known for its cheerful interior and welcoming staff, it was more than just an ice cream shop– it was a destination.
Employee Pooja Deshamanaya worked at Gofer for a year and a half and was devastated to turn out the lights on its final day, Nov. 1. She was originally drawn to the job because of the positive atmosphere and the chance to interact with kids. But in the end, her favorite part was seeing her regular customers whose orders she had memorized.
“I really, really miss Gofer and working there,” Deshamanaya said. “I learned a lot and didn’t want it to end.”
Gofer Ice Cream began as a small shop in Greenwich back in 2003, founded by Jay Ragusa and his father with one simple mission:
“To be the local hometown chain where we have deep community roots and are the place to go for Ice Cream for generations,” Ragusa said.
Ragusa started with the goal of opening roughly 10 locations in Fairfield County.
“My father helped inspire me and we worked together building it for over 20 years,” Ragusa said.
Ragusa’s vision was to make Gofer the kind of brand that had something to offer for everyone. Gofer’s menu is extremely versatile with both soft serve and hard ice cream, sundaes, smoothies and frozen shakes. Gofer could also accommodate virtually all dietary restrictions with fat-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, kosher and plant-based options.
So why the sad ending? It seems the location was not ideal.
“We opened in a location that was not the most visible,” said Ragusa. “The trade-off is lesser rent, but it takes more time to build a following.” The franchisee decided he “didn’t want to continue spending the funds to get to profitability” in that location. Ragusa hopes that this is not the last Gofer in Westport and aims to open a new location on Main Street.
Gofer locations in New Canaan and Darien are both centrally located in their walkable downtowns among shops and restaurants. Customers can stop in for a treat after a meal or while running errands. That convenience cannot be overstated.
Westporter Cami Barger ’28 was a loyal Gofer customer because it was walking distance from her dance studio.
“I can understand why it struggled in their location. I think it would definitely get more customers if it was located in downtown Westport,” Barger said. “While the shop was cute, it would be nice to be able to walk around downtown while I had my S’mores Razzle.”
“We were proud of the space and product we served,” Ragusa said. “We gained some new Gofer fans for sure, and I hope we can return in some form in the future.”
For now, the closure of the Westport location doesn’t mean the sweetness has to end. Gofer lovers can still visit other nearby locations in Darien, New Cannan and Wilton. As their slogan reminds us, “It’s always a good day to…Gofer Ice Cream.”
“I’m so sad we had to close but thank you very much for supporting Gofer and for being such amazing customers,” Deshmanaya said. “I really loved serving you and making your days a little sweeter.”
