A new family-oriented dessert shop will officially open its doors this week in downtown Fort Walton Beach, bringing specialty ice cream treats and handcrafted drinks to the area.

• Jenna and Damian Mendez will hold a grand opening and ribbon cutting for Sugar & Co on Friday, Sept. 26 at 4 p.m at 118 Miracle Strip Parkway SE. The shop occupies a completely renovated 1952 building and represents more than a year of construction work.

“Sugar & Co is a family-oriented dessert shop,” said Jenna Mendez. “We saw the need in the downtown district.”

The Mendezes moved to Destin in 2020 but chose Fort Walton Beach for their business location. Jenna Mendez, a former law enforcement officer who was medically retired in 2018, said after taking a family vacation to Tennessee and noticing the numerous dessert shops there, she realized the local area lacked similar options.

• “We felt like this community needed something,” she said. “They needed a safe place for their kids and family to come and hang out.”

The shop features unique menu items not commonly found locally, including ice cream nachos served on waffle chips, specialty layered ice cream creations called “slayers,” and handcrafted “dirty sodas.” Sugar & Co will offer 24 ice cream flavors using Edy’s, Pierre’s and Ashby’s brands, along with baked goods made by Jenna’s son Tyler, who serves as the main baker and works morning shifts.

The business will accommodate various dietary needs with two soft serve machines, offering vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options. Additional menu items include ice cream cakes, cake slices and chocolate-dipped ice cream tacos available in a to-go freezer.

Sugar & Co operates as a faith-based business, remaining closed on Sundays and Mondays. The shop employs 12 teenagers and plans to add a product line featuring Bibles and ‘emergency’ Bible verse stickers.

• “We’re a very faith-based company. We’re closed on Sundays so our employees can go to church and spend the day with their families,” Mendez said. The couple is also exploring adding a Bible study at the shop for the youth.

Hours of operation will be Tuesday through Thursday from 12 to 8 p.m., Friday from 12 to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The renovation required a complete gut renovation of the building, including new plumbing, electrical systems and flooring. The six-month permit process involved working with an architect and engineer before construction could begin.

“We completely gutted it. It was just a mess,” Mendez said. During construction, workers made several discoveries, including old bottles and mason jars buried under the floor that will be cleaned and displayed in the shop. They also discovered one wall was made of expensive Venetian plaster from the original 1952 construction, which forced the relocation of their mural.

• The project also received a $10,000 Community Redevelopment Agency grant for interior improvements from the City of Fort Walton Beach.

The Mendezes have been operating a food truck version of Sugar & Co. that they launched during the lengthy permitting and construction process to build a customer base through local events. The food truck will continue operating with teenage employees, with Damian helping with logistics including generator setup and preparation.

As for the reception and anticipation from the downtown community…”Everybody’s been wonderful. Everybody’s had open arms,” Mendez said. Neighboring businesses, including the gym next door, have been asking about the opening date and expressing excitement about bringing more activity to the area.

Jenna expressed enthusiasm for downtown Fort Walton Beach’s ongoing redevelopment, particularly the Around the Mound project.

• “I’m actually all for the Around the Mound project. I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “I think it’s going to bring so much more revitalization and growth to the downtown district.”

She also expressed interest in seeing additional businesses come to downtown, specifically mentioning the need for restaurants to complement existing attractions like the farmer’s markets and Concerts at the Landing.

The grand opening Friday will feature social media giveaways including free ice cream for a year, plus door prizes including a VIP tasting experience for five people with the opportunity to help launch and name a new menu item, along with $20 gift cards and hoodies.

When discussing how additional businesses would benefit the entire downtown area, Mendez said, “The more the merrier.”