By Kenneth Books
Aficionados of sweet treats will find a new outlet for their passion as Pecan Jacks, a wildly popular ice cream and candy store, expands from its 30A location of nearly five years to the site of the former Hog’s Breath store in downtown Destin.
The owners, Tim, Ronnie, Dustin, Samantha and Shelby Wyatt, promise a unique sugary atmosphere with creations of their own making.
“There’s nothing similar,” said family patriarch Tim Wyatt. “We set ourselves apart with quality and customer service that are second to none.”
This is not your chain ice cream store.
“We create an experience, not just an ice cream cone,” Tim said. “We’re here to make people happy.”
The unique ice cream specialties include Oreo ice cream, which, Ronnie said, “is made differently than any other kind of cookie or ice cream;” Bailey’s salted caramel and banana pudding.
“These are vintage recipes from our parents,” Ronnie said.
The Wyatts ran a printing company for 25 years in their hometown of Richmond, Va., and their shift to goodies isn’t unusual. “We’ve always been in production,” Tim said.
The Pecan Jacks candy is as singular as its ice cream. It includes southern praline, Caribbean Rum and lots of brittle.
“We hand-stretch all our own brittle and package it,” Ronnie said.
The candy, like the ice cream, isn’t just kids’ stuff. It includes flavors like Espresso, Amaretto and bourbon.
The store will have a user-friendly feel when it is completed, which the Wyatts hope will be in April.
“It will be a unique feel like Vegas,” Tim said, with separate but connected rooms for ice cream and candy purchases. And the youngsters haven’t been forgotten, either. A raised area will let kids access the candy area, while a funhouse-style mirror will entertain them as they arrive.
Pecan Jacks has won accolades for its 30A story, including a first-place 30A Hot Spot Award for sweet treats.
The family’s move into Destin won’t end its expansion. “We’re experiencing growth right now,” Dustin said. “We’ll be at Greenway Station in summer.”
And, he adds, new products are on the horizon.
“In the fall, we’ll have a new venture – premium coffee,” he said. “We’re bringing new flavors to the area.”
Dustin said the company has a 24-hour ice cream production schedule, making thousands of gallons.
Prices, Ronnie said, will be competitive with the area. But, she adds, “You’re getting a premium product.”
Views: 0
