Good* ice cream. It's nice to have a convenient ice cream shop nearby...not that Handel's in Santee is that far away, and with a new Stella Jean's coming to La Mesa soon, there are better (in my opinion) options within a few miles. *Good - my definition of good, not great...rich, creamy ice cream, seemingly high quality ingredients, "old-timey" ice cream parlor vibes, and an adequate selection of dairy-free/vegan options. Not in the realm of great ice cream like Salt & Straw or Handel's (again, in my opinion), but a good option close to home. Now to the three (3) star rating - I had to mark down for service level, which I believe is just lack of training, or lack of customer interaction experience among the young workers...not their fault, but it still affected my overall impression. This was my first visit, and could have been the first of many, except for the (not-literal) bad taste left from the service. I include this not to be a cranky old complainer, but hopefully to help the franchise owner with tips to help gain loyal customers, rather than missing an opportunity from a first-time customer. First, the server asked if I was a loyalty club member (or whatever it's called). I said no, but I'd like to join. She handed me a QR code to scan, but then never gave me a receipt so I could apply for the first visit points. Second, I ordered a kid's cone for my granddaughter. The server asked if I wanted cake cone or waffle cone. Assuming those were the choices for a kid's cone, I said waffle...what she never said was that a waffle cone was not a kid's cone option, but a regular/adult cone at higher price - by the time I realized ($8+ dollars vs $5), it was too late. I paid the higher price for too much ice cream for a 3 year old, and an up-charged fancy cone that she didn't eat. The server didn't mention the difference, and I paid for it. The simple solution would have been for the server to recognize that I ordered a kid's cone, and have said "that comes in a cake cone, or you can get a waffle cone for $xx more", or something similar. This review is dangerously close to (1) TLDR status (in which case you'll never get to this line), and (2) garnering "Ice-cream Karen" replies...so all done! read more

I always noticed the long line of cars here and finally decided to see what the hype was about. Even though I'm not usually an ice cream person, all I can say is WOW--this ice cream is absolutely delicious. The quality definitely justifies the price, and it's easy to see why so many customers were ordering multiple quarts to take home. If you've been wondering whether it's worth the wait, it absolutely is! read more

Was driving around yesterday running errands and decided to try it because I see it all the time. I ordered a brownie sundae and the two tiny little scoops that I had on there were good but nothing special. The brownie was huge and tasteless. There was very little hot fudge and whipped cream. Ice cream tasted no difference than me purchasing some Häagen-Dazs at the grocery store. Definitely not worth $12. I can't see myself returning with their small portions at such enormous pricing. Oh!!! And the audacity to have tipping options on their payment device. This tipping culture has gotten incredibly out of hand and that's coming from someone who worked in restaurants for the better part of two decades. read more

This place is brand new and there was only a few individuals outside eating ice cream when I arrived. They have a drive thru which is pretty awesome and will make it easy for families to stay in the car instead of fighting over the 3 benches they have. Ice cream was OK, nothing special. I expected more from such an expressive name like "buckeye". It was chocolate ice cream with a small amount of peanut butter and nothing else! So why the extravagant name???? Would go back to try a plain flavor but this place seems to be no different than any other ice cream place. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Chocolate peanut butter buckeye - add cookie dough - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

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We came here after the zoo and we wanted fattening stuff. We walked up and it said grand opening. I found out later this place been open a bit lol. Anyway, we got like 3 samples and settled on the gooey ice cream, sea salt brittle ice cream and cake batter. I got my daughter a kids cone for free which she made a huge stink at 2 years old and wanted her own giant cone. It looked like the cone was filled more with ice cream than the cup. Anyway, the gooey butter ice cream was very good. So was the Carmel ice cream. The cake batter was good. The vanilla was good. I wouldn't say outstanding. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

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2nd time here and I guess wasn't surprised at the large long line at the drive thru. We parked & walked up to order. Sadly, the lady in front of us with her kids couldn't decide & took over 10 minutes to finally get her order in. We already knew what we wanted & out order and up quickly. The outside area is clean but with summer here - should think about shade & even misters as ice cream will be a mess to deal with outside. Love the Jamaican me crazy in the waffle cone. We registered so we'll be back. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Walk up window for ordering - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

Nice ice cream joint in the middle of La Mesa and near a Tesla Supercharger. There is plenty of free parking and a few outdoor tables and benches. The drive thru option is nice if you are on the go. The service is friendly and did not take too long despite the small crowd on a Sunday afternoon. Recommend getting their rewards program because this is a national chain and the discounts will be worth it if you plan to be a repeat customer. read more

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This is a family favorite for real ice cream made with quality ingredients. Along with the classic flavors, they're always introducing new and creative options to keep things interesting. Some of my recent favorites have been Gooey Butter Cake and Graham Central Station. They also have no-sugar-added, dairy-free, and vegan options, so there's really something for everyone. The portion sizes are generous, and a kid's size is enough to satisfy my sweet tooth when I'm looking for a treat without overdoing it. It's definitely worth trying if you haven't been yet. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

The hook for me was the drive through access and serving delicious fresh ice cream made in-house is a plus! This place is easy to find on this busy road. It is right next to the Trek bike store. Executive summary: Depth of flavors: 5/5 Quality: 5/5 Prices: 5/5 - bang for the buck Parking: 4/5 Service: 5/5 Outdoor seating only, there are a few tables outside. The service was quick and friendly. I had the cookies and cream small cup, it was fresh and the consistency was smooth and creamy. There is enough to for two adults in a small cup. My wife ordered the Graham Central Station was very flavorful and satisfies a sweet tooth craving. This place also has dairy free options in their menu, Sundas, Shakes, Waffle cones, and a few oat milk options. There is also a separate menu and pricing for children. I'll be back. Enjoy! read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Cookies and cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

Came in for a chocolate peanut butter fix but couldn't decide between the Reese's peanut butter and the buckeye peanut butter. The gal working the counter was kind enough to let me sample both. I went with the Reese peanut butter and added fudge. The ice cream this time around was much better than my last experience! The mix ins was plentiful and the fudge topping perfect consistency. Definitely hit the spot. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Reese's peanut butter with hot fudge - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

Abby out here, emotionally healing people, one scoop at a time. Best banana splits I ever had and of course I got the waffle cone because a girl is extra thank you Abby. I really appreciate you and I hope you get a raise. -grateful read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Was craving ice cream and decided to look up a new ice cream spot. Came across Bruster's and we were shocked they had a drive through! How convenient. We tried multiple different ice creams and loved every one of em. Will definitely be back! read more

Didn't know there was one of these out here on the west coast. Was excited when I found it! The convenience of the drive through and cute sitting area out front. Ample parking to eat in your car if you'd like as well. Friendly and fast service, even though we went at like 12pm on a Friday lol. The area of La Mesa it's in also reminds me of the east coast. You feel like you're not quite in San Diego anymore. It's pleasant. The only thing that wasn't good was the dairy free vanilla and only because it was so frost bitten. I think a fresh scoop of it will be better but not sure. I ordered a pistachio and coffee chocolate chip scoop in a waffle bowl. I'm happy with my choices and will definitely be back read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - The dairy free vanilla was frostbitten, but everything else was good - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

Great place to grab a sweet treat! They have a large selection of flavors and will let you sample some at the window if you want to try any. I also like that the small size allows you get 2 scoops so you can try different flavors. I ended up getting the chocolate raspberry truffle and cookies and cream and it was everything I wanted, rich, sweet, creamy, but not too heavy! There's a couple of tables nearby if you want to sit and eat and a couple of parking spaces as well. The workers all seemed very nice and service was pretty quick! read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Ordering window - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

Drive Thru on a Wednesday afternoon FTW A fun treat during my recovery from surgery AND we did not have to go in Well prepared Turtle sundae and a Cookie Dough BB Bruesters Blast Both were FILLED with the goods Turtle the Pecans and Caramel and Chocolate The BB Cookie Dough read more

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Oh my goodness this is probably the most creamy and rich ice cream I've had. Absolutely amazing! Staff is super nice and friendly and allow you to try different flavors. I think for the quality price is definitely fair. Will def go again and can't recommend enough. We spoke to Terri the owner and he was so nice and explained the process. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

Their icecream flavors are all really good and everytime I come here I have such a hard time deciding what I want to choose! Love that we can also try the flavors as well. The workers were patient when I wanted to try a lot of the flavors and I always love a crowded icecream store. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Scoop - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

I really like all the selection of their flavors. The first time I went here on January 30, 2026 I got two scoops and they were decent portion size for the price. I went back on February 6, 2026 around 2 o'clock and I was gonna ask young lady did she give me kiddy scoops? The ice cream on the bottom was nearly melted in a manner of minutes and it look like it was half a scoop. For the price of each scoop which my total is $7.04 for two scoops the amount of ice cream received wasn't justifiable. I didn't complain because I know it's hit or mess with the reviews, but it did not take away from the flavor of the banana puddin on the bottom was chocolate with some peanut butter cups, and the young lady gave me the wrong one which I wanted the peanut butter with the vanilla, but it doesn't matter cause I'm looking forward to try all of their flavors at some point in time! There's a lot more benches for people to sit and enjoy. The owner mentioned that they were going to be delivered and it's nice to see that this establishment is on the up and up. It gets crowded so you have to be strategic when you're heading over there! Don't forget to ask for samples! Overall, this will be my new stop for a sweet treat when I'm in the area and next time if I have questions about the portion size, I will say something. Otherwise, I'm just gonna start getting two scoops and they each can be in their separate cup read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - 1/30/26 portion size matched the price for 2 scopes. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

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So excited they opened a Bruster's in San Diego! I was introduced to it up in LA. We got the banana pudding and the Grand Central station. I really wish they had the Grand canyon and pb crunch which I've had up on LA. I also tried the sorbet as a non-dairy option. This spot has a drive thru! How cool is that. There's a small parking lot. Outdoor seating only. Located in a somewhat interesting spot. No bathrooms that I could see. Service was quick and friendly. We even got a couple pints to go: mint chocolate chip and chocolate peanut butter buckeye. Delicious! read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Sorbet - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

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While San Diego has an impressive selection of ice cream locations, I'm thrilled for such a great option to open up in La Mesa. Notably they have a drive thru but I prefer ordering at the window in order to sample the flavors. Their small cup comes with two massive scoops. I haven't tried a single bad flavor and the mixes lean heavily towards the incorporated toppings. There isn't a cap on how many flavors can go into their milkshakes. The sweetness dilutes quite a bit so I would actually opt for the creamy option to retain the flavor. These were fragrant and mildly sweet options. *Matcha *Coffee No Sugar These were sweeter and very rich. *Salted Caramel And Toffee *White Chocolate And Raspberry *Cotton Candy *Birthday Cake Great dessert option and I find myself stopping by a couple times a week. read more

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Bruster's is an East Coast-based ice cream chain that set up its first location in the SD area at the Grossmont Trolley Center late last year. It was an interesting choice to place their shop in this part of La Mesa as the foot traffic was minimal. What's unique was they had a drive thru lane to order so you didn't have to leave your vehicle. I don't know of another local ice cream shop that has this feature. There were several spaces available to the south of the stand which was where I parked and then walked up to the service windows. I think there were only two tables and a bench for seating if you wanted to enjoy your treat on-site. A refrigerator to the left of the menu screen displayed ice cream cakes for sale. About 30 different flavors on rotation were available. Waffle cones & bowls, cake cones & cups, shakes, blasts, and sundaes were the categories. You could also purchase hand packed quantities (pint, quart, half gallon) to go. I picked the last two on the alphabetical list of premium flavors. They were the Sea Salt Caramel w/Toffee and Southern Banana Puddin. The creamy quality and price of their frozen product was on par with the other gourmet ice cream purveyors in town. What lowered my rating of Bruster's Real Ice Cream was the service. Perhaps they were short staffed on the evening I visited because it took over 20 minutes from the time I lined up to when I finally received a cup with my flavors. Only two sets of customers were ahead of me while a few vehicles did place orders in the drive thru. read more

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Glad Bruster's finally opened in La Mesa! I was watching the count down on their window as they prepared to open. We recently stopped by for their customer appreciation night. They have $4 scoops and $5 waffle cones. I got the waffle cone with a scoop of chocolate peanut butter buckeye and southern banana pudding. Both flavors paired really well together. The southern banana is okay for me, I like the taste of real banana. But nonetheless it is still good. The buckeye is the perfect ratio of chocolate ice cream and buckeye candy. Overall the service is good! They allowed me to try as many flavors as I'd like. If you do plan to sit and eat your ice cream, they only have outdoor seating. Shouldn't be a problem for us in sunny San Diego! read more

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Oh my!! SOOO excited to have had friends bring us here.. we literally live next to a true ice cream competitor... and this place blew me away. LOVE the ice cream, live the vibe, loved the owner!! I have only raving recommendations that you MUST come try this place out!! Everything we tried was super flavorful and quality. The line in the drive thru... (yes, drive thru grab your ice cream and go) it was constantly flowing. The wait wasn't long but consistent. This was the highlight of our night!! A must try!! And the owner... super amazing guy!! We will be back for sure!! read more

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I have tried Bruster's in LA.  That shop did not keep their ice cream cold enough.  This time I planned to buy quarts only if the ice cream was cold enough.  Bruster's was fairly busy when I visited on a Sunday evening.  You order at one window and a team of scoopers got the order out at a second window. Vanilla was rich and creamy with a delicious sweet vanilla flavor.  Great tasting vanilla ice cream. Dreamsicle had a mix of rich, creamy, and sweet vanilla plus a bold orange flavored sherbet.  Delicious flavor combination. Staff was nice and efficient.  Ice cream tasted great and was packed hard.  Bruster's reminds me of Handel's. Both had a very similar Dreamsicle flavor. read more

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Bruster's Ice Cream - La Mesa I'd heard all the rave reviews about Bruster's from the East Coast, so I was excited to check out the new La Mesa location. They've got so many options: ice creams, sorbets, shakes, floats ect I went with the Cold Brew Brownie and Orange Sorbet. Both were delicious, but the cold brew brownie was the star for me. Best of both worlds: coffee + brownies The sorbet was refreshing too The ice cream definitely tastes yummy and lives up to the hype. Just an FYI it's on the pricier side compared to some other spots, but worth it if you're in the mood to treat yourself. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

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I tried this new ice cream shop in La Mesa. I had a two scoop container with pistachio and a seasonal pumpkin ice cream. The ice cream was creamy but to sweet for taste. The pumpkin ice cream tasted like pumpkin, but the spice flavor was stronger than I would of liked. I was hoping for a more wholesome natural pumpkin flavor with not so many added ingredients. The pistachio ice cream tasted okay. I felt like the flavor and color were more artificial than natural. I am used to eating natural pistachio gelato made with a handful of ingredients. It was also overly sweet for a Pistachio ice cream, which is not surprising since they use corn syrup and sweet whey, in addition to natural sugar. The service was very good. The young lady at the counter was not only helpful but friendly as well. There's only outside seating available at this location. They do have a drive thru. read more

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The customer service from Bruster's is out of this world. The sweet gal helping us was very friendly, gave us recommendations based on what we liked, and was generous with taste tests. What I like about Bruster's is that it's not too far from home, they have a drive thru and walk up, have a couple of tables, and their ice cream is nice and creamy. I ordered the mixed berry cheesecake which was creamy, had hints of cheesecake, and tang from the berries. My husband had the butter pecan which was DELICIOUS, super buttery and rich, and something I'd order myself next time. He also got a scoop of the ultimate peanut butter with Oreo. If you're a peanut butter fan, then this is for you. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Menu 11/2025 - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Chain ice cream place with a drive through. It sort of reminds me of Handel's. I got the dairy free coffee with Oreo. It was ok not the best not the worst dairy free ice cream. It was pretty busy with a long line but service was pretty good. read more

I've seen a lot of hype of this place and had to check it out. It's really nice that they had a drive thru. Makes it super convenient when you have a sleeping baby in the car. I tried an ice cream freeze with m&m and butterfinger. I was a little disappointed because the toppings weren't all mixed in. It was just placed on top. Maybe I'm comparing to Dairy Queen where it's all mixed together but for a large size I don't want just the toppings on top then having to eat plain ice cream throughout. Service was good and took about 10 mins in the drive thru. I'll have to go back and try actual ice cream scoops and other flavors. read more

Plenty of parking. Nice staff. Will likely have a long line since it's been so flipping hot in Sd lately. Good Ice cream! The banana chocolate chip is highly recommended. Oh, and make sure you ask for whip cream! read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Small (two scoop) - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

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Even with the long lines the staff are always very friendly. I've loved every flavor I've gotten, mostly banana pudding and the mango. Everyone waiting seems in good spirits also so somehow their energy overflows into the parking lot. Always ask for napkins at the drive thru because sometimes they over pack the ice cream and the lids drip. read more

You know, when you build stuff up in your head, food wise, to be this big epic thing and you get there you're completely let down? Well that didn't happen here. I've been thinking of that pineapple upside down Ice cream for over a week... I've recently lost ninety pounds and have been incredibly disciplined with my diet. I think I just hurt myself. It was perfection. the Waffle cone was still warm, The ice cream was the optimal temperature and The service was fantastic. Now i'm a little frightened since I live so close. JK Plenty of places to sit outside. Security keeps the trolley bums away. Thank you! read more

They have a wide range of ice cream flavors and treat options available. They have a drive thru as well as a walk up with a seated area, so it is convenient if you're on the go, or want to sit there. They were also quick making the shake i ordered and getting it out to me. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Cookies & Cream Made with OREO Milkshake - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

I come in here without my shirt on all the time and they treat me great. Even when there's cream dripping down my face and into my belly button. so honestly 10/10 and great service. read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Me - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

Decided to finally try this spot .. I live in the neighborhood maybe a minute away from this spot . WHY?? Was my ice cream melted that fast ? I won't be back coming back to this place . read more

Bruster's Real Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - La Mesa, California

A literal hidden gem found off Fletcher Parkway, Bruster's delivers! 1st time here and I can vouch that they provide some delicious high quality ice cream, it is super creamy and rich with flavor. Their customer service is great and they have a drive thru, not common!  I ordered ice cream in a  small ice cream cup with one scoop of cotton candy and another with pistachio. Super delicious, I paid close to $10 for 2 scoops and it was totally worth it :) read more

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Seen that the spot was fairly new and decided to try it. We opted for the drive-through since we were on a time crunch. Ended up ordering the strawberry cheese & sea salt caramel w/ toffee and that was the best flavor from the two in my opinion. My husband ordered the butter pecan,cookies & cream w/Oreo which was his favorite out the two. This place is convenient because it has a drive-through, but it's also is a walk up and it has outdoor seating in the front. Will be back when the weather gets warmer again to try more flavors. read more

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Welcome to East County!! We needed something good and new. Hands down the best Ice Cream in East County. Not even close!!! San Diego has great Ice Cream and you need something special to crack the top 5. Brusters is not quite in the top 5, but definitely elevated from your typical ice cream shops. Went on a Sunday night close to closing and there was a moderate line for both walk up and the drive thru. YES they have a drive thru!! Service was friendly and fast. They offer samples of their flavors. We ordered a few different flavors. The Black Cherry Chocolate Chunk was FILLED with chocolate chunks and had a couple of whole black cherries. This creamy sweet goodness was definitely better than any ice cream I have had in East County. Now to the Star of the Night- Banana Puddin ice cream. Creamy smooth, with fresh crisp Nilla Wafers (not soggy) and the banana flavor was exactly like the best Banana Pudding I have had from the South!! I was so excited because of the Banana Puddin being so good I inhaled my ice cream before taking a photo! Ha Although there are many flavors, I will return just for the Banana Puddin!! For anyone who likes banana, this flavor is a must try!!! The shop is located on the backside of the Trek Store across from Petco. It is walk up service or drive thru. There are a couple of tables and several benches outside. Brusters Special on Thursdays. Half price Banana Splits if you bring your own banana. Yep you heard me right!!! Bring your banana on Thursdays and get a half price Banana Split. Next visit will be a Thursday for a half price split with one of my scoops being Banana Puddin!!! Dogs are welcome and can get a free doggy Sunday!! If you are in the East County and tired of the name brand ice cream places or the places that serve ice cream no better than "Thriftys" at high prices, THEN you need to stop by Brusters and judge for your self!! Brusters is highly recommended! read more

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First visit and my wife ordered a "waffle cone" and I ordered a cup, mine comes out first and was nothing special, tasted like any ice cream I have ever had. The waffle cone comes out with ice cream in a cup and she's obviously not paying attention and the server sticks the cone out the window and says and I quote " you forgot your cone!" The wife who is not normally one to be negative takes the cone and proceeds to eat them both separately as we watch the next few customers get a waffle cone with the ice cream in it. If they make a mistake here don't expect anything, no apology and no offer to make it right! I'm not sure the employees understand what good customer service really is... read more

So glad there's an ice cream shop in La Mesa with a drive through and fresh ice cream with many flavor options. The service was excellent and they let us sample as many flavors as we wanted, thank you scoopers! I really appreciated the cone holder to help with melting ice cream and spills. There's a few tables and benches outside for seating and they have a rewards program too for additional discounts. On Banana Thursdays you can bring a banana and get half off a banana split. Would definitely come back here, thank you Bruster's La Mesa! read more

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