Mrs. Sweetwater’s in Tamarac.
By Juliet Norman
Despite opening during a pandemic, small Italian ice shop Mrs. Sweetwater’s received an overwhelming amount of support from the Tamarac community.
Located within Tamarac Town Center, the store opened on June 3 at 8205 NW 88th Ave.
The store is family-owned by wife and husband Kristen and Chris Sweetwater. Chris Sweetwater, who hails from Philadelphia, said that their business was inspired by the city’s water-style Italian ice desserts.
The couple has revamped the store’s service methods to make sure their customers maintain social distancing regulations. In addition to wearing masks at all times and continuously wiping down menus and table surfaces, they currently serve customers solely through curbside pickup and have limited outdoor seating.
Since Florida has become a hot-spot for COVID-19, they are delaying the opening of inside dining. Chris Sweetwater said that even during the virus outbreak, their business had had a steady flow of customers.
“We appreciate the support from everybody,” Chris Sweetwater said. “Business has definitely been good. Everyone has been going through the [safety] protocols.”
The couple said they have been preparing to open for more than a year and advertised primarily through social media.
The store currently has eight ice flavors, ranging from Sour Apple to Swedish Fish with plans to expand the menu.
Mrs. Sweetwater’s is open every day from noon to 8 p.m. On Tuesdays, customers can receive a 15 percent discount when they buy two or more ices.
“It’s a crazy time for everybody,” Kristen Sweetwater said. “As a business, all we can do is hope that we can bring smiles to people’s faces and do our best to go ahead and keep everybody safe.”
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