Sloan’s Ice Cream, the ice cream brand known for its bold pink and neon green walls and heaping amounts of candy, toys, and homemade ice cream, will open the doors to its first Southern California franchise location on November 28, also known as “Black Friday.”
This is a historic moment for Sloan’s Ice Cream and the San Diego shop’s franchisee Ali Hajisattari. It marks the first Sloan’s location outside of its home South Florida market.
“When I first stepped inside a Sloan’s store, I became a little kid all over again—I felt this incredible nostalgic feeling that made me never want to leave,” says Hajisattari, a longtime retail and manufacturing expert in California with international business ownership experience. “The creativity, energy and brilliant presentation of Sloan’s drew me and my family in, and the ice cream is beyond incredible. Simply put, the stores are magical—their fantasyland atmosphere speaks to the inner child in all of us. Now, we get to bring this incredible concept to San Diego.”
Opening at San Diego’s upscale Westfield UTC Shopping Centre, the new location will include the treats and atmosphere that has rewarded Sloan’s with a cult following around the globe:award-winning luxury ice cream flavors, candies, and world-class bakery items; the brand’s signature pink walls and ceilings and plush toy collection; and a glass bathroom with a window that fogs up when the guest inside turns the lock.
The father to a five-year-old daughter, Hajisattari is planning on making his Sloan’s franchise a truly familial affair. He will have the assistance of many family members in day-to-day operations.
“This is truly a dream come true for our family,” Hajisattari says. “We live and breathe our business ventures. We’re thrilled to be expanding a concept that brings smiles to the faces of countless of families and visitors every year. Given the tremendous success and proven model of the Sloan’s shops across Florida, we are confident this will make major waves here in San Diego.”
Beyond the aesthetics, scents waft through the air, circulating hints of cookies and waffle cones around each store. Taken together, the full complement of taste, sight, smell, and touch sensory stimulants form a harmonious blend of elements that create a dynamic franchise model.
“Since its inception, Sloan’s has been a dreamland—a sweet-treat escape—for everyone, kids and adults of all ages, and our commitment to providing that escape has never changed,” says Sloan Kamenstein, founder, owner, and a classically trained chef who honed his craft at London’s Le Cordon Bleu culinary school and trained in kitchens throughout France. “The sights, smells, and sounds provide a complete sensory overload. Everyone deserves to experience the unrestrained joy that comes when you step inside Sloan’s Ice Cream. We’re thrilled about building on our huge following in Florida, and doing so with a businessman as gifted as Ali. With his qualifications, Sloan’s has a bright future in Southern California.”
Kamenstein himself has designed the complete menu of creative ice cream, candy, and sweet treats. These include dozens of innovative flavors such as Tracy’s Scrumptious Pretzel (caramel ice cream with milk chocolate covered salty pretzels and peanut butter swirls), Cookie Monster (made with homemade chocolate chip cookies), and Mom’s Apple Pie (apple pie ice cream with pieces of homemade apple pie).
Since opening its first store in 1999, Sloan’s has grown to include four locations in Palm Beach County, dozens of franchise units in development, and nationwide expansion plans to add 200 franchise units in the next five to seven years with the right franchise investors.
