A Cold Stone Creamery has opened in Arnold.
Owners Krista and Robert Ryffel of south St. Louis County opened the shop at 1270 Jeffco Blvd. late last year.
The couple had a soft opening on Nov. 18, and a grand-opening will be held from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, when ice cream will be 20 percent off, Krista said.
“We are thankful for everyone who has come out and supported us since we opened,” said Krista, 49. “It has been wonderful. We were so nervous about it, doing it for our first time. It has been spectacular.”
Krista and her husband, Robert, who also is 49, started thinking about opening a business in 2016 when the couple’s youngest son, Alex, told them he wanted to find a job.
Alex, who is on the spectrum for autism, was 15 when he told his parents he wanted to work, Krista said.
“We started thinking about how he would be handled in the workforce,” Krista said. “That is kind of a scary thought. We always wanted to do something for ourselves, too, and be our own bosses. We started thinking about doing something for ourselves.”
After researching different franchise opportunities, the couple landed on Cold Stone Creamery which, according to the company’s website, has served ice cream, cakes, smoothies and shakes for more than 25 years.
“The franchise was kind of a safer way to go with no experience,” said Krista, who along with Robert continues to work in the technical field while operating Cold Stone. “We wanted something that was a little more specialized. When we talked with Cold Stone, it was a really good experience. We did our research, but that was a no-brainer for us. It was the kind of company we wanted to be with.”
The Arnold location is the fourth Cold Stone in the St. Louis area. There are other ones in south St. Louis County, Creve Coeur and Florissant.
It costs between $53,200 and $468,775 to become a Cold Stone franchise owner, according to the company’s website. The franchise fee ranges between $10,000 and $27,000, and prospective owners need at least $100,000 in liquid capital and a net worth of $250,000, the website says.
Robert said he and his wife received plenty of support as they started the process of buying into the franchise and opening their restaurant, which has 18 employees, including the couple and Alex.
“The area developer really holds your hand as you are going through the process,” Robert said. “They have companies that are part of their franchise process, so most everything you need is kind of at a one-stop shop.
“Also once you are set up, there are training classes where they give you insight on how to run your own business, items to keep track of and how to properly do paperwork, so you can be successful.”
The Ryffels’ other son also is involved in the business. The couple’s oldest son, Adam, 22, is helping with the bookkeeping.
Robert said Adam is studying to be an accountant at Adrian College in Adrian, Mich.
“He helps with the sales figures and making sure the numbers are going through correctly,” Robert said. “When he is in town, he works a few hours at the store. He is involved in the business in a couple of different ways, but his priority is school right now.”
Krista said the longest part of the process was finding a location. She said the couple wanted to operate in Arnold.
“We never wanted to go anywhere besides Jefferson County,” said Krista, whose family lives just north of Arnold. “We are in Arnold constantly. That is where we go all of the time. We wanted to invest in Arnold. We felt we were investing in our community.”
Krista said there were some things they needed to learn as first-time owners.
“We didn’t know what to expect,” Krista said. “We played catch-up a couple of times, and we still are. We are still learning. We have run into a couple of bumps, and we have learned from them and are getting better. I think that is true in a lot of new places. For the most part, when that bump has included a customer, they are like, ‘It’s all good.’ The customers have been great with us.”
The Ryffels said they have been serving about 800 pounds of ice cream per week, since opening.
“That’s just the middle of winter,” Robert said. “We are expecting to double that in the spring and summer.”
Krista said the ice cream shop is next to a Jimmy John’s restaurant, which has helped business, and she welcomes the addition of a Smoothie King, which is set to open next to Cold Stone.
“People come in and get Jimmy John’s for lunch and ice cream for dessert. The location has been great,” Krista said.
And if you want ice cream and a fun atmosphere, Cold Stone is the place to come, Krista said.
“Ninety-nine percent of people are in a great mood because they are getting ice cream,” Krista said. “One thing we do at Cold Stone, when we get tipped, we sing for the customers. On a Friday and Saturday night, we are singing all of the time. It is a fun atmosphere to be part of, and Friday and Saturday nights when we have a lot of people, it is on a bigger scale. It has been tremendous.”