After a neighborhood institution closes, it can be a tough act to follow, but Trevail Thomas is hoping her Sum’n Sweet Frozen Treats dessert shop will be able to pull it off at 5110 Danneel St. in Uptown. That’s the address of the former Neutral Grounds Coffee House, which closed last year after a 40-year run.
“We’re hoping to continue the tradition of being a staple in the community; something people really enjoy,” Thomas said. “We hope they receive us well.”
Set to open in August, Sum’n Sweet is the sister dessert shop to Sunset Slush NOLA, an Italian Ice spot near the Fair Grounds Race Course on Gentilly Boulevard. Thomas said she wanted to open a second business that expanded on the popular Italian ice that’s available at Sunset Slush. Sum’n Sweet will also feature soft-serve ice cream, which can be added on top of an Italian Ice. Thomas said she plans to expand the Sum’n Sweet menu in the near future to include cookies and other baked sweets, as well as coffee.
She added that many menu options at Sum’n Sweet will be gluten-, dairy-, and/or nut-free. For Thomas, offering these alternatives comes from a personal place. Her son needs to avoid dairy, and she first got into Italian Ice as a way to share a sweet treat together with him.
“For me, diary-free desserts were something different, but for my son, it was something that he could really enjoy,” she said. “Sometimes, it’s hard to find things that he likes that I like too.
“When you have kids, you gotta fix three different meals to suit everybody,” she added. “Italian Ice is something that I really enjoy, and he can really enjoy as well.”
