The temperature may still be dropping, but that has not stopped business owners in Dundee whipping up some love for ice cream.
A pair of new ice cream parlours are to open close to each other — Charlie Waffles and Co on West Port and Crolla’s on Perth Road.
Charlie Waffles, named in honour of Roald Dahl novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, is the venture of siblings Kassam Kassam, 22, and Mariam Kassam, 23.
It is Kassam’s second business, having already set up online retailer KassTech, but it is a first for Mariam.
She said: “I worked in a bank before but I just wanted to try something new.
“It’s something a bit different. We thought it would be a nice challenge.”
Kassam said: “The location is everything to us. To be honest, if it wasn’t for being this close to the university, we probably wouldn’t be doing this.
“I used to go to Dundee University so I know the area well.”
On opening during winter, Mariam said: “It’s just when everything came together, but we will be up and running come spring time. We will also have hot desserts like waffles, and who doesn’t want that during the winter?
“It’s somewhere to relax and bring your friends and chill out.”
The pair promise to offer more than 40 flavours of ice cream.
Kassam said: “As far as we’re aware, no one in Dundee is offering more than 20 flavours.”
Crolla’s, which is hoping to open in Perth Road in early February, has more than 60 variations in their other stores thanks to their ‘Cold-Stone Creation’, which allows customers to blend flavours of their choosing.
The firm, which has outlets in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Wishaw and Preston, has been looking for a location in Dundee since early 2017.
Two plans, one in Perth Road and another in Arbroath Road, fell through in 2017, but a lease was finally signed for Perth Road in November.
Peter Crolla, managing director, said: “Crolla’s is one of the few little ice cream parlours in Scotland to offer an innovative blend of create-your-own ice cream.
“The staff look forward to future developments in the history of the company.”
