MilkShake Factory, a Pittsburgh-born frozen dessert franchise, will open the doors to its first Virginia location in Chesapeake this Saturday.
The sweet treats shop’s menu includes a wide — and indulgent — variety of milkshakes, as well as sundaes, chocolates and some fruit-based snacks.
Organizers said the store’s opening at 648 Grassfield Parkway will come with a fanfare of freebies, buy-one-get-one deals and a DJ. The shop’s 1,800-square-foot location puts it in the Cahoon Commons strip mall near the Walmart Supercenter in the Great Bridge area.
The Chesapeake counter will be managed by local husband-and-wife franchisees Digna and Alexander Forbes. The two said they had long wanted to start a business and were attracted to MilkShake Factory’s allergy- and vegan-friendly menu.
Digna Forbes, who is also an epidemiologist, said they learned of the chain on a trip to Pittsburgh. She usually had to sit out getting milkshakes but was surprised to discover the menu could accommodate her.
“It was a sign,” she said. “We want to cater to everybody.”
Alexander, who also works in cybersecurity, said he already had a hobby of making ice cream, so pursuing a frozen desserts shop was only natural. He said they’d started courting MilkShake Factory since 2021, but the brand wasn’t offering franchises at the time. He and his wife were “refreshing the button every two seconds” until the company started hearing out pitches through its website. And a couple years later, they were approved, he said, meaning a long line of certifications, interviews and another couple years of construction.
The Forbes have two daughters and said they try to stay involved with the community, something they believe their new store will help them accomplish. A few of their new neighbors are pitching in for the grand opening, Digna Forbes said.
MilkShake Factory’s debut in Virginia is part of a wave of the chain’s other openings around the country, including in Texas, Tennessee and North Carolina. The company spun off in 2003 from a family-owned and -operated soda fountain and chocolate store originally founded over a century ago in Pittsburgh’s South Side. It maintains a strong presence in the Steel City.
“It’s bringing something to the Grassfield community, as it tends to get overlooked. Now we have something nestled here for families and everyone,” Alexander said. “It’s been a really rewarding experience.”
