Fork of the South Sugar Factory

This place popped up on a quick search for ice cream in the area. Being an out of state tourist I wasn't too clear on where exactly this place was, but it made sense to me once I got on ground. The exterior lighting left much to be desired, as we arrived well after dark. However, the interior was delightful! I felt welcomed at every step of my visit. The employees were all engaged and helpful. I even snagged a 20% discount for being a veteran and an educator! The milk shakes looked great! They tasted the same. But, they were very thin. Taking them to go made a very big mess for me on my way out to the car (no drink carriers) and a rather bigger mess in the car! However, it was still an enjoyable experience.

I love a good milkshake bar. My favorite was Gracies in L&L Market but since it’s closed this will likely be my go to. There are lots of options and they do a pretty good job. I would suggest having the milkshake at the bar instead of getting it to go. It’s about the experience not just the shake. Whether it’s a date night or entertaining friends from out of town, it’s worth the visit.

Got an incredible chocolate milkshake at this spot at the Franklin Factory. My wife, who said she didn’t want a milkshake, decided to “try a sip” and then proceeded to sip half of it. The owner and the staff are incredibly friendly & gracious. You can tell they care about their guests! It’s truly a local hidden gem! Speaking of a hidden gem, it is located at the Franklin Factory but there are multiple buildings at the campus so make sure you go to the right one. It’s connected to a general store and a really beautiful tea room. We will be back!

I know it’s easy to hire teenagers for these types of places but you could literally have a “serve yourself and pay” ice cream station and do very well with how good the ice cream and flavors are. Ice cream is always great here and the flavors are top notch. The flavors are classic without going too far off the reservation like all shops try and do. I prefer this spot over Jeni’s and Sweethaven, but the owners need to hire better staff or work with them on improving their customer interaction.

Service was good and the atmosphere was great, however my ice cream was icy and didn't taste like the flavor I'd picked. I did go later in the day so that might've been why, however I will go back to give them another try.