Soft-serve ice cream in all its delicious forms — from sundaes and swirls to shakes, floats and banana boats — has arrived in Santa Barbara.
Mister Softee opened this week at 935 State St.
Owners Eden Piszczek and Angelina Rodriguez, both 21 and bursting with confidence, are not your average entrepreneurs.
“At first it was just kind of scary, stepping into this, and investing so much into it, but the time is going to pass anyway, and we didn’t know what else we were going to do, so why not just take the jump and go for it?” Piszczek said. “I think that is the best thing we could have done, just be brave and do it. So here we are.”
The two are high school friends from Camarillo. They both stashed away enough money to become the latest Mister Softee franchisees.
The ice cream shop was started by brothers William and James Conway in 1956 on the East Coast. In addition to storefronts, the company owns more than 350 ice cream trucks.
Rodriguez and Piszczek worked in the Camarillo location, and when the opportunity came up to lease the space, they jumped on it.
Rodriguez worked at Mister Softee in Camarillo when she was 16. She eventually became an assistant manager in 2021. Rodriguez said she always loved serving the customers and the conversations that occurred with regulars.
“Most people come into the ice cream store and they are really happy to be there,” Rodriguez said. “I just really enjoy that sense of community.”
Rodriguez put her own touches on the Santa Barbara menu, redesigning the graphics, and she and Piszczek are serving the ice cream at the moment.
The two met each other in a film class in high school and considered going to film school together, but instead opted to franchise the ice cream shop. Piszczek said she owes a lot to her father; he taught her the basics of business, and she recalls getting her start selling Girl Scout cookies.
Rodriguez said her mother taught her to have high expectations and encouraged her to take risks and always give her all.
“My senior year I wanted to quit the water polo team and she said, ‘You are not quitting. You’re going to keep trying and give it your best,'” Rodriguez said.
They also have partnered with Jeff Hiller, the franchise owner in Camarillo, who they consider a mentor and who owns ice cream trucks. He eventually will bring them to Santa Barbara, they said, to support the Santa Barbara Mister Softee.
The women are planning a formal grand opening on Jan. 20, and even amid the current changes on State Street, they say they are controlling their own destiny.
“I just have such faith in us and our abilities,” Piszczek said. “It’s our life savings we put into this. It is a lot that we have invested, our time and money, but I just really have faith that we will succeed. I have no doubts about it.”
Anchor Rose Restaurant Open
Although the interior downstairs space of the Anchor Rose Lounge is closed for major renovations, the Anchor Rose Restaurant remains open at the Santa Barbara waterfront.
“The Anchor Rose Lounge, interior downstairs space, has been closed for major renovations for months, especially as they address required ADA improvements triggered by their remodel,” said Cesar Barrios, waterfront business manager. “In an effort to provide financial relief on the last stages of the renovation, the Waterfront Department has deferred three months rent.”
The restaurant is located at 113 Harbor Way, Suite 180.
Kelly Knight Wins Real Estate Awards
Santa Barbara real estate broker Kelly Knight, founder of Knight Real Estate Group, an affiliate of Village Properties, won two top awards Dec. 1 from the Santa Barbara Association of Realtors.
She received the Howard Gates Award for coordinating the sale of a property gifted to the nonprofit Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, according to a news release.
Knight also received the association’s Realtor Community Service Award for her philanthropic and volunteer work serving the Santa Barbara community.
“My education and legal background have given me much throughout my life, personally and professionally,” Knight said in a statement. “I believe it’s a fundamental responsibility — as well as my greatest joy — to give back to our beautiful community.”
Gateway Educational Services Lompoc Tutoring and Wellness Center Opening
The Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce is holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of Gateway Educational Services Lompoc Tutoring and Wellness Center, according to a news release.
The ceremony is scheduled for noon Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 218 North I St.
Gateway Educational Services was established in 2009 by educators, business professionals and community leaders passionate about changing access to education and the ways in which students learn.
Gateway Educational Services’ mission is to create opportunity for all students to succeed with programs specifically designed for their needs, with outstanding teaching and creativity, and through academic development, according to a news release.