Founded in Youngstown, Ohio all the way back in 1945, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is an ice cream franchise with the kind of customer loyalty you do not see often. It’s a regular story you hear: Youngstown natives move out of town and find they miss Handel’s so much they want to bring it where they live.
That’s what happened with Patrick Frank, a Handel’s franchisee who grew up in Youngstown before moving to Las Vegas, where he launched Sin City’s first Handel’s location ten years ago today. Now, Frank is working to bring the brand to Tampa.
“It’s nothing against any of the places in town,” Frank told What Now on Tuesday, explaining the attachment that forms to the brand. “It’s just not Handel’s.”
Tampa’s first Handel’s may open in the Rome Collective, the upcoming mixed-use development at the intersection of North Rome Avenue and North A Street in North Hyde Park. No lease is has been signed for the moment, however.
“With over 4,300 multifamily units within walking distance, the new retail development is perfectly positioned to cater to a high-demand area,” said coverage of the Rome Collective published by That’s So Tampa in June. “Additionally, the project benefits from a substantial daytime population of over 243,059 people within a three-mile radius, ensuring a steady stream of potential customers.”
Frank says an opening is expected in late 2025 or early 2026.
The multi-unit franchisee is confident in the success of Handel’s wherever it might be. And the secret to the confidence and the loyalty? That’s simple: it’s the product.
“At each location, the ice cream is made in-house, each day. That’s why it’s so fresh. Whether you’re ordering in Las Vegas or Pennsylvania or Ohio, it tastes the same. It’s always the same ingredients.”
You can keep up with all things Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream by following @handelsicecream on Instagram.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that no lease has been signed for a Handel’s at Rome Collective.
