Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Opening on Decatur Square

Remember when we reported back in late July that an “ice cream store” would be opening in the old Froyolo location on Decatur Square next to Best Time (545 N. McDonough)?

Well, Atlanta Magazine reports that Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams will be opening up in the space by late October.  A bit more…

Both locations will serve grass-grazed ice creams, frozen yogurts, and sorbet, often made with local ingredients. Signature Jeni’s flavors include Coffee with Cream & Sugar ice cream made with Batdorf & Bronson coffee and Sweet Cream Biscuits & Peach Jam made with fresh Georgia peaches from the Peach Truck. Flavors change seasonally but favorites include Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Brambleberry Crisp, and Goat Cheese with Red Cherries.

In Decatur, Jeni’s will also serve Batsdorf & Bronson coffee. The Krog Street location will not.

A free ice cream party will be held to celebrate the Decatur location’s opening. The date has not been announced.

Photo courtesy of coolhunting.com

35 thoughts on “Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Opening on Decatur Square”


  1. Oh great, another chain. What’s next? A Walmart in downtown? Ice cream is good, but weird flavors. Shop LOCAL!!!! Stick with Yogurt Tap and Butter & Cream.

    1. I still look forward to our Waffle House. Unless someone in Decatur will serve a proper patty melt.

  2. Did they have a push cart set up next to Victory this weekend? Went by there Sunday night at dinner. Saw the push cart and only caught “hand made ice cream” as I was driving by.

  3. Butter and Cream continues to amaze me so I am not tempted away by newcomers. I’m there at least once a week. I’ve loved every flavor I’ve tried but have a hard time not ordering my favorite–perfect vanilla ice cream with fantastic just-like-grandma’s fudge sauce. Chocolate chip/pecan cookies are pretty special too.

  4. So, when will they build an ice cream place open in Oakhurst … Where so many families could walk to it instead of three of them in a one block radius north of the Dequator?

      1. Sugar Moon seems to be more of a yummy cupcake place, but certainly not a full-fledged ice-cream place ( …a place where they maybe could have kids parties too??)

  5. Jeni’s is good for a chain. Reminds of a midwestern hipster Baskin Robbins. I much prefer and like to support local independent places, though.

  6. Didn’t we go through this many years back with 3 ice cream shops that cut into each other’s business enough that they all ended up going under? More ice cream, yogurt and coffee.

  7. I’ll be sticking with Butter & Cream. Locally-owned and seriously good ice cream. I’m sure Jeni’s is great, but do we really need another ice cream/yogurt shop? Especially one that’s a chain?

  8. Have heard much about Jeni’s, can’t wait to try it! (I’m of the “I can support both local businesses AND chains that happen to be located here” camp…)

  9. Maybe we can get a Trader Joe’s instead! It’s a (privately held) chain. 27th largest grocery store chain in the country with 353 stores in 27 states plus DC with two more opening in three days in Florida and Texas. Started in California.

    Or maybe an REI, also a privately held chain with 135 stores in 32 states. Started in Seattle.

    Jenni’s started in Columbus, Ohio and has a total of 15 stores in four states. They do a good online and catalog business.

    I do question the long term viability of three ice cream shops within flinging distance of each other, but I’m betting each shop’s owner looked at Decatur independently and all three came to the same conclusion: great place for an ice cream parlor. Unfortunately they didn’t consult with each other first, however it looks like Marlay House, Square Pub, Mac McGee’s (does two locations make a chain?), and Brickstore have all been able to thrive in the public house business and all are within stumbling distance of each other.

    Here’s to diversity in ice cream (and beer!) in Decatur!

    1. Ashton’s, Jake’s, and Cold Cream all at the same time was too many. But there were less children then…. Well, there were more than the School Board suspected, but still less than now….

      1. Less children or not (non children eat ice cream too), I think the ice cream failures of the past (Jakes and Cold Stone) were more corporate problems than a lack of business. Jake’s crashed and burned and Cold Stone closed hundreds of stores around the country in 2007-2008, not just Decatur. Ashton’s? I don’t even remember it.

        1. Ashton’s was an independent ice cream shop on Howard, probably about where Mar is now or in one of the adjacent buildings. It was cute, comfortable, a little funky, not as kid friendly as Jake’s and it didn’t last long. Maybe I don’t have the name quite right. Ashton’s? Ashland? Something like that.

          1. Ashton’s was indeed where Mar Whatever is today. I think Ashton’s may have been the first business to serve food in that space — before that, it was Tatum’s Auto Service, who kept my Mazda GLC running for many years

      1. 5 if you lump frozen yogurt and ice cream together. The Snowball place, Swirlin twirlin on w. ponce, Butter and Cream, & Yogurt Tap, Jenis. I tried butter and Cream, amazing, but I gotta stick with Yogurt Tap. The combination of white chocolate kisses, snickers, caramel sauce and a guilty conscience won’t allow me to take my business elsewhere on a regular basis.

  10. Jeni’s is incredible. I was thrilled to learn earlier this year that it was a small chain and not local to Nashville. I will keep going to the yogurt tap for my frozen yogurt but- after two visits to Butter & Cream- the only entity that will be losing ice cream business from me to Jeni’s is publix. Can’t wait!

  11. What’s the price of a cone or a dish at Jeni’s? I realize that in life you get what you pay for, but I wouldn’t mind paying about a buck less than what Butter and Cream charges for a cone. I can get four Klondike Bars at CVS for the price of a cone at Butter and Cream.

  12. Before any of the current places popped up Cafe Alsace has had ice cream for years. I love popping in there during festivals and getting a cone of their French inspired flavors like rose petal, lavender and honey, and nutella!

  13. Speaking of ice cream, a while back someone here asked whatever happened to Baskin Robbins. Here’s an answer (also might partly explain why Cold Stone Creamery and those other ice cream stores here closed).

    businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-16/after-years-of-decline-baskin-robbins-attempts-a-comeback

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