A new dessert shop is moving into the old Queen Anne Dari-Snak building.
Skip and Sarah Harrison are opening a Pelican’s SnoBalls at 7127 Merrimac Trail to fill the void that Queen Anne left when the 60-year-old burger joint closed in June.
Skip Harrison discovered the old Queen Anne building when he was on a lunch break from his job as a supply officer with the United States Navy.
One look at the building, and Skip Harrison thought, “That looks like a Pelican’s.”
The SnoBall shack, which offers 100 flavors like black cherry, strawberry cheesecake and guava, is slated to open in March 2017.
“Anything you can imagine – there’s a flavor,” Sarah Harrison said, adding that her favorite flavor changes regularly.
As for her husband? Skip Harrison loves an ice-cold vanilla snocream with a condensed milk topping.
The Harrisons signed a five-year lease for the property in August. They are in the process of outfitting it with new equipment and a pink and blue paint job.
The couple also plans to hire about eight people from the Williamsburg Area to man the seasonal store from March to October.
While the old Queen Anne property is getting a face lift – including cornhole boards and a giant Jenga for play – the community spirit of the place isn’t going to change, Skip Harrison said.
“The landlord really wanted to make sure the building stayed a community hangout spot,” he said.
“People like a place where they can just be,” Sarah Harrison added.
The SnoBall business isn’t new to the Harrisons. The couple opened a Pelican’s in the Kempsville area of Virginia Beach on March 7.
They say they’ve had a lot of success – and a lot of fun – at their location at 5308 Princess Anne Road and decided to bring the joy to Williamsburg.
The Harrisons look forward to learning the many flavors of the Williamsburg community next year.
“It’s about making the connection with the customer,” Skip Harrison said, adding that he loves to celebrate the ups and downs of life with people over a SnoBall.
Mayfield can be reached at 352-431-9612.
