Got Milk?

If you thought milkmen had gone the way of Swanson TV dinners, you’re in for a surprise. Scarsdale is still served by the same milkman who has managed our area for thirty-one years, and some of his first customers remain with him today.

Milkman Bob O’Byrne delivers fresh milk in glass bottles, directly from the dairy twice per week. He offers all varieties – whole, skim, one and two percent, plus buttermilk, Lactaid, half and half and heavy cream - all at reasonable prices. When you open the bottle, you can smell and taste the difference between the milk you purchase in cardboard or plastic cartons and the glass-bottled variety that O’Byrne provides.

On the scene before Fresh Direct was even an idea, O’Byrne worked at the Dellwood Dairy during summers when he was home from college. Upon graduation, Dellwood hired him to manage the office for the entire Westchester operation, which in 1977 included 45 routes, 75 employees and 12,000 customers. A few years later, Dellwood decided to sell the routes to the drivers, and O‘Byrne, envisioning a way to fund his graduate education, purchased the Scarsdale route. He tripled his income overnight but delivered milk 6-7 days per week and found he had little time to pursue his education.

Today only seven routes remain in Westchester and O’Byrne delivers milk just twice a week. For some customers, he still brings the milk directly to the refrigerator, often greeting customers in their pajamas. He’s practically a member of the family though he has been bitten by dogs and set off burglar alarms. Milkman Bob also fills orders for sour cream, butter, cheese, juices, eggs, snacks and household supplies; making trips to the supermarket or Walmart for those who request it. For customers who work or cannot drive, O‘Byrne is eager to deliver household essentials. He gets the milk from the Byrne Dairy of Syracuse who ships it to Ossining. The similarity of his name to the dairy’s is purely a coincidence.

Do milkman jokes prevail? You bet! Bob tells the story of the day he drove his milk truck through a tollbooth on the thruway. The toll keeper stuck his head out of the booth and asked, “Are you my Dad?” Without missing a beat, Bob replied, “Yes my son, say hi to your Mom.”

If you would like to have fresh milk delivered to your door, try Bob at O.B.’s Dairy at (914) 949-4105.