The Dolly Llama, the waffle and artisanal ice cream destination based out of Los Angeles, will celebrate its Grand Opening and further expansion in Florida with its opening in Winter Garden. Located within the Winter Garden Village Shopping Mall at 3279 Daniels Rd, Suite 106, conveniently located across from Target, World Market, Forever 21, Aji Sushi & Teppa and next to Bonefish Grill, The Dolly Llama will celebrate its opening on Saturday, January 7th with a community-focused celebration! Beginning at 12pm, the first 100 guests will receive a free Dolly Llama swag bag of merchandise! Throughout the day, guests will also be able to score branded merchandise and enter to win giveaways and raffles for fun prizes!
“We are very excited to open in just a few weeks and offer The Dolly Llama’s famed waffles and ice cream delights to the Winter Garden and greater Orlando community,” says Sabina and Amit Maini, co-franchisees of the The Dolly Llama Winter Garden. “We fell in love with The Dolly Llama after visiting a cousin who lives in Los Angeles, and we happened upon the shop in Koreatown. The name is catchy and the menu is fun so it immediately prompted us to look into opportunities with the brand. Amit has experience in the restaurant industry and understands the management operations, while I have previously been involved in my families’ ice cream franchise and understand the menu and customer service side. We moved to Winter Garden from California 17 years ago, and the city has since transformed into a lively hub for families who want to live in Central Florida – making it the perfect spot for The Dolly Llama! We can’t wait to celebrate our Grand Opening with the community and offer this unique concept to guests, neighbors, and tourists of all ages.”
The Dolly Llama was designed to be a modern dessert shop where all guests can enjoy hand-crafted waffles and ice cream in a cool, hip and fun environment. The concept’s success can be, in part, attributed to its innovative and artisanal menu, but also the unique experience of visiting The Dolly Llama locations is what makes the shops a beloved destination for locals and tourists alike. The currently open six locations in Los Angeles, Dallas, Jacksonville (Ponte Vedra Beach) and Las Vegas share an unparalleled aesthetic flair and insta-worthy design featuring eye-catching signage, our iconic llama and “wanted” llama prints along the walls, which the franchised locations will also mirror.
“Winter Garden is the perfect city for The Dolly Llama to thrive because of its suburban population and its pleasant young professional and family atmosphere,” says The Dolly Llama co-founder Eric Shomof. “Having gotten to know Amit and Sabina and their hardworking partnership, there is no doubt that the couple will bring in the local crowd, and with the location being nearby the popular destination city of Orlando, we anticipate The Dolly Llama attracting those visitors as well! We’re thrilled to offer up a whole day of giveaways for the community at the Grand Opening, because who doesn’t love free swag with some ice cream to ring in the new year.”
The brand prides itself on offering authentic European flavors and techniques, such as Belgian waffles using traditional methods, and the Hong Kong Bubble Waffle prepared with a special batter that produces a unique crispy and custard-like texture. The two unique waffle styles — OG Liege Waffle, Bubble Waffle—are the base of the interactive menu of ‘Top Picks’ waffle and ice cream desserts, ice cream waffle sandwiches, and a ‘Build Your Own’ menu, where customers are encouraged to “go nuts” with unlimited toppings resulting in endless flavor possibilities and combinations. Signature Shakes are another over-the-top brand staple.
The Dolly Llama currently operates three locations in greater Los Angeles, one location in Dallas, one location in Jacksonville (Ponte Vedra Beach) and one location in Las Vegas. The Winter Garden location is the fourth location to open as part of the concept’s aggressive and immediate 45-store franchise expansion plan across the country, and has plans to open in other cities within the Sunshine State such as St. Augustine, and other North, Central and South Florida regions, along with more locations across the country. The Dolly Llama Winter Garden location will be open from Monday – Thursday from 11:30am-10:30pm, Friday – Saturday from 11:30am-11:30pm and Sunday from 11:30am-9:30pm.
