Iconic Savannah Candy Store Expands Footprint with Franchising
River Street Sweets will celebrate National Ice Cream Day on July 16 by continuing its tradition of offering customers samples of delicious, hand crafted ice cream at all locations. As one of the most successful candy franchises in the U.S., River Street Sweets delights customers with fresh, homemade ice cream and gelato made on the premises, which is an uncommon practice with most ice cream stores and brands. Whether it’s classic flavors such as Vanilla and Chocolate or signature, one-of-a-kind flavors such as Pralines N’ Cream made with their World-Famous Pralines, customers enjoy sampling the premium offerings and ordering their favorites all year long. Co-owner Jennifer Strickland says many customers notice the homemade difference and rate River Street’s rich and creamy ice cream with leading brands such as Haagen Dazs and Ben and Jerry’s.
“We use milk and heavy cream in our ice creams and gelatos and real fruit in many of our flavors,” explained Strickland. “Unlike many ice cream brands that are shipped across the country and are laden with preservatives, we can use natural stabilizers and emulsifiers such as guar gum and soybean gum and acids because our products are made on the premises.”
From its flagship store in Savannah, which recently celebrated its 50-year anniversary, to franchise locations in Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Atlanta, River Street Sweets is elevating sweltering summer days by sampling and serving more than 25,000 scoops of ice cream each week. The most popular flavors are Pralines N’ Cream and Chocolate, while others clamor for Bear Claw Ice Cream made with the brand’s best-selling chocolate turtle candies. Other tempting signature flavors include Rocky Road, Cookies N’ Cream, Banana Pudding, and Birthday Cake. Gelato lovers revel in refreshing fruity flavors such as Lemon Sorbet, Key Lime Pie, and Pink Grapefruit Sorbet as well as non-fruity flavors such as Coffee Crunch, Salted Caramel, and Tiramisu.
The well-rounded assortment of flavors is one of the reasons River Street Sweets is becoming as well known for ice cream as it is for its unforgettable World Famous Pralines, Bear Claws, and chocolates that made the family business a household name. According to Strickland, adding ice cream to the mix was a no-brainer.
“We started out with handmade candies like fudge, pralines and chocolates,” she said. “We added homemade ice cream to our business model because it tastes great and goes well with our handmade confection line. And besides, everyone loves ice cream!”
In addition to regular offerings, River Street Sweets has a special ice cream Flavor of the Month and includes seasonal ingredients for holidays and events. For example, the brand serves up Red Velvet ice cream for Valentine’s Day, Lime Sorbet and Chocolate Mint in March for St. Patrick’s Day, and Peppermint ice cream adorned with candy canes for December. The brand is also working on adding more candy mixes like Candy Explosion, DC Salted Caramel Gelato, and ice cream flavors including Pecan Brittle, Caramel Popcorn, Chocolate-Covered Pretzel and Peanut Butter Buckeye. They are also adding sundaes to their ice cream line.
“We’re a family-owned business with fun, interactive kitchens that have made River Street Sweets a must-visit destination for locals and tourists,” Strickland said. “We love meeting vacationers and happy people and encourage interaction between our team members and customers. With our huge selection of candies, ice creams, and nostalgic treats, we truly have something for everyone!”
Fifty years ago, Strickland’s family loved Savannah’s River Street and its history, so they started as a Christmas and gift shop in 1973. Jennifer’s grandmother operated the store while her parents worked full-time jobs to keep the business open. Over the years, the beloved brand grew with more retail space and a booming e-commerce business. A few years ago, they decided franchising was the next step, so locations have sprouted up from Asbury Park, NJ to Key West, FL. Strickland said there are at least two additional locations planned by the end of the year.
“We work hand in hand with our franchisees to help them be successful,” she added. “What we do is special. We want to be the Number 1 candy franchise in America.”
River Street Sweets has been making memories and delighting candy lovers since 1973, when it first opened its flagship location on historic River Street. Nearly a half century later, River Street Sweets locations can be found in Charleston and Myrtle Beach, SC, Sarasota, FL, and additional locations in Savannah, on Habersham and Broughton Street. In 2014, the beloved candy company began to franchise under the merged name River Street Sweets Savannah’s Candy Kitchen, and the first franchise location opened in Pooler, GA in 2015, followed by locations in Key West, Fla. and Lancaster, Pa. A location in Greenville, S.C. opened in 2019, and in 2020, locations were added at The Battery in Atlanta, Ga. and Asbury Park, N.J. In 2021, a location was opened in Sunset Walk in Orlando, Fla., with additional franchise locations on the horizon across the Southeast. Named the “Second Best Candy Franchise in the Country” by Entrepreneur.com, River Street Sweets • Savannah’s Candy Kitchen has grown exponentially with stores in Pooler, GA, Key West, FL, Greenville, SC, Lancaster, PA, Atlanta, GA, Asbury Park, NJ and Orlando, FL and most recently to Sarasota, FL. For more information, visit riverstreetsweets.com and www.RiverStreetCandyFranchise.com.
