Cold Stone Creamery has been a pillar at the Coronado Ferry Landing for decades. Ajay Shah purchased the business in 2010 at the encouragement of his two daughters.
Path to Purchasing Cold Stone
Ajay shares, “I moved from Connecticut to the West Coast, and I was looking to purchase either a gas station or convenience store. The gas station route turned out to be very expensive. As for the convenience store, my daughters were against it,” he laughs. His freshman and middle school daughters were adamant that they did not want him to sell cigarettes or liquor, so he states, “I had no choice but to look for something else.”
The girls got their wish when an opportunity for a Clairemont Cold Stone came up. However, Ajay wasn’t convinced when the owner, Frank, walked through the business with him. Ajay says, “I told him I needed a bigger business and Frank said he had a location in Coronado, but it wasn’t for sale.” When Ajay visited the Coronado location, he “fell in love.” Frank ultimately sold to Ajay and his daughters were thrilled.
The Coronado Shop
Ajay explains that Cold Stone Creamery ended up being the perfect business for him as a father. It wasn’t a 24/7 job like the other businesses he was exploring. Ajay is able to be home at a reasonable time and it’s relatively easy to run. “All you need is a few good people to work. I hire a lot of youngsters. About 25% of our current staff are locals, but then they go off to college. I love hiring from Coronado.”
Along with the Coronado location, Ajay also owns the Liberty Station Cold Stone. He says it makes it easier to have two locations close by as the sister stores are able to help each other with inventory.
Coronado Cold Stone is something special and Ajay’s passion is contagious; “It’s the smell of a fresh waffle cone, you see someone having ice cream and you want it too! People are always in a good mood at the Ferry Landing. The other shops in the Ferry Landing are so great to each other, we are a good team and mix of businesses.” Ajay is thankful to the Coronado community for supporting Cold Stone and looks forward to providing delicious ice cream for years to come.
Cold Stone Top Treats
Right now the popular ice cream is the Cold Stone seasonal Boo Batter lasting through October. Ice cream lovers can also look forward to the approaching holiday season with a caramel apple and fudge chocolate flavor coming soon.
Year round, ice cream enthusiasts can also build their own ultimate ice cream experience.
Start with the fresh, daily made ice cream. Then, top it with your choice of candy, fruit, nuts, and all kinds of yummy mix-ins.
For those looking to skip the line, you can order your favorite ice cream creation, cookie sandwiches or cupcakes online for pick-up or delivery. Visit Coronado Cold Stone Creamery today!
