After long wait, Cold Stone Creamery opens at Napa Junction
On Monday, much to the anticipation of ice cream lovers all over town, Cold Stone Creamery quietly opened its doors at Napa Junction Shopping Center.
It is American Canyon’s first ice cream store since Country Creamery on West American Canyon Boulevard closed more than 10 years ago.
Cold Stone Creamery is a business run through franchises. The newly opened American Canyon franchise is family-owned and run by Hercules-based entrepreneur Sam Ahmad and his wife, Asifa Ahmad, along with his brother and sister-in-law, Ejaz and Mumtaz Mirza, who moved to American Canyon with their kids to manage the store.
“I love American Canyon; the people are very nice,” Mirza said. “It’s a really nice vibe.” She told the Current that being an “absentee owner” didn’t appeal to her, so she moved her family from Dublin to American Canyon. “I really want to take care of [the store]. This is our baby, and I want it to succeed,” she said.
“We’re very excited,” said Sam Ahmad. “We’re getting lots of good response from the community.” American Canyon is an ideal spot for the franchise, he added.
“We wanted a small community where people know each other,” he said. “All the right things are here. It’s a really nice town — nice people, nice weather, lots of [mall] traffic.”
Ahmad, who lives in Hercules, owns several businesses, including a supermarket in Vallejo. He is also a commissioner with Hercules’ Finance Commission.
Investing in the community he joins is a priority for Ahmad. “Whatever we can do to help people out, to be part of the community — schools, fundraising,” said Ahmad. “We want to be here for as long as possible.”
The opening comes just in time for the Bay Area’s sunny spell. Since Monday, the shop has been steadily patronized by students out for lunch, couples on dates and parents with their toddlers.
On Tuesday evening, a pair of students giggled with their scoops. Behind them in line, a customer got a cone with apple pie ice cream.
American Canyon resident Joshua Tomas worked behind the counter earlier that day, prepping the season’s “limited flavors,” fudge truffle and red velvet cake. Tomas said that the first order he made on opening day was cheesecake fantasy, part of Cold Stone Creamery’s Signature Creations. Tomas’ favorites? “Cookie dough or coffee,” he said.
“Just don’t look at the calories, you’ll be just fine,” he joked. Tomas started at Cold Stone Creamery on Monday — his first job in ice cream. He also works at Cinemark Century movie theater in Vallejo. Working the day shift with Tomas were Victoria Uribe, the ice cream maker and cake decorator, Lawrenz Modesto and Christian Ocampo, all Vallejo and American Canyon residents.
Until recent years, Cold Stone Creamery was known for having workers sing to customers every time they’d get a tip. But that practice has largely been phased out and isn’t part of the American Canyon store’s culture, much to the relief of some. However, the tradition of making their own ice cream and cones at in-house remains.
Locals first learned Cold Stone Creamery was coming to town about five months ago. It’s been a long road to opening, Tomas said.
“All my friends and coworkers were like, dude, what’s taking so long?” he said. Terry England, a Cold Stone Creamery employee who helps open new franchises and train workers, explained that the delay was a combination of lengthy permitting processes and equipment issues.
“We thought we were going to open, and we came in to start producing ice cream and the whole walk-in cooler was out. It took another two weeks to get fixed,” she said. “We had a lot of people who would come by each day walking their dogs … They’d ask, ‘Are you open yet?’”
Now, that’s all in the past, England said. But business was going better than expected, she added considering there was little advertising. They are aiming to host an official celebration for the store’s grand opening in February.
According to Napa Junction developer Vincent “Buzz” Butler, Cold Stone Creamery’s opening means that only two spots remain vacant at the large outdoor shopping center.
“We’re excited to see them open and wish for their best success,” said Butler. “It seems to have been a void in our market.” The space taken over by Cold Stone Creamery sat vacant for around four years, he said. Next, he said, Napa Junction will welcome a Buffalo Wild Wings, likely this fall, and the possible expansion of the NorthBay Health Urgent Care.
Cold Stone Creamery is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 5055 Main St. Suite 100.
