Pittsburgh-grown dessert shop Milkshake Factory is making its first foray into South Carolina thanks to a new franchise agreement.
The brand recently announced on LinkedIn that franchisees Dana Soucy and Julie Thomas will bring three locations of the up-and-coming sweets restaurant to the lowcountry: two South Carolina locations in Bluffton and Hilton Head, as well as one in Savannah, Georgia.
Milkshake Factory was created by Dana Edwards Manatos during a business college course, inspired by her family’s history in the candy and soda shop business. The restaurant began offering its frozen treats and chocolate candies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2003. By 2023, they had grown to 11 successful locations in their home state. That lead them to develop their franchise program, which launched in May. They now have over 30 locations in development nationwide, including Colorado, North Carolina and Utah.
The Savannah location is expected to open first, followed by Bluffton and Hilton Head. No timeline has been confirmed yet, but look out for more details in early 2024.