DALLAS — Editor's note: This article was originally published in the Dallas Business Journal here.
Ice cream lovers rejoice, there's going to be a new cone in town.
Crispy Cones LLC, which makes Czech-inspired desserts, has scooped up a 10-unit franchise deal in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Franchisee Aman Tamana said he plans to open the first North Texas location in Southlake in December or January.
The franchise agreement gives Tamana development rights in the counties of Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Rockwall and Tarrant over 4.5 years. Tamana, a Californian-turned-Dallasite, said he's investing $4 million to $4.5 million to open all 10 stores.
Founded in 2018 and based in Idaho, Crispy Cones serves pastry dough ice cream cones — a departure from the typical crunchy waffle or cake cone.
The cones are grilled rotisserie-style then covered with cinnamon and sugar or crushed Oreos. They can be filled with a choice of spread such as Nutella or peanut butter. Soft-serve ice cream with toppings is the final step before diving in mouth first.
Crispy Cones was featured on the TV show "Shark Tank" in March 2024, where owners Jeremy Carlson and Kaitlyn Carlson secured a deal with businesswoman Barbara Corcoran to expand via franchising.
Mackinley Quast, vice president of franchise development, said in addition to Tamana's 10-unit deal, three more Crisp Cones shops should open in Collin County, which would give the brand 13 total locations in Dallas-Fort Worth.
According to the company’s franchise disclosure document, the cost to open a Crispy Cones location can range from $284,750 to $543,000. Quast said the final number is dependent on the state and market value. A typical Crispy Cones ranges from about 800 to 1,200 square feet in size.
"The strong economy and community support for innovative food concepts make DFW an ideal market for Crispy Cones," Quast said. "No better place to bring Crispy Cones than a place like DFW with its diverse population and food lovers around."
The dessert chain also plans to open two locations in Austin and one in Houston. It currently operates six locations across Utah, Idaho, Arizona and Florida.
