The Caribbean Resort has a new neighbor on the property … actually make that two – Ben & Jerry's. The nation's largest ice cream parlor franchise has joined the Caribbean's family of food and beverage outlets on the premises, and guests have been lining up to get a taste of the shop's unique flavors and frozen treats.
Located across Ocean Boulevard from the Caribbean's beachfront towers, Ben & Jerry's moved into the strip-mall space previously occupied by Ice Caps. Now the store is home to the biggest names in the ice cream business, where generous scoops of ice cream are served in the spirit of one of America's biggest business success stories.
If you don't have a Ben & Jerry's franchise in your hometown, you might not be familiar with their famous pun-filled flavor selections, like Americone Dream, Chunky Monkey, and Hazed & Confused. And even if you have tried their cones, sundaes, milkshakes and more, you may not be familiar with the men behind the wildly successful brand.
Childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield were pondering their bleak post-college career options when they decided to do what they love – ice cream. Investing $5 each to take a correspondence course in ice cream making, and $12,000 to set up shop in a renovated gas station in Burlington, Vermont, Ben & Jerry laid the ground work for their new venture in 1978.
Far from an overnight success, Ben & Jerry's slowly spread throughout the Northeast with its hippie-themed outlets. Perhaps the smartest move along the way in a series of genius marketing moves, the duo started packaging their ice cream in pints for mass distribution, and people started falling in love with the chunk-filled flavor combinations that are growth-hormone free.
Everything Ben & Jerry's tried seemed to turn to frozen gold. They started their famous Free Cone Day that is still an annual tradition nationwide, and they also created the world's largest ice cream sundae – a 13-ton “Vermonster” that brought national attention. There were some bad moves along the way, like the ill-fated Cowmobile national tour that ended in a road fire and created “the world's largest Baked Alaska,” according to Cohen.
But scoop by scoop Ben & Jerry's spread across the country and gained national recognition. The duo of Dead Heads turned lots of heads with their famous flavor Cherry Garcia, named after Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia. It was the first of many celebrity endorsements that the brand has become known for, including Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road, and Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Dough.
Today there are more than 5,800 Ben & Jerry's franchises, and the Caribbean Resort is home to one of the latest to open. Now guests are only steps away from enjoying the wide array of flavors, as well as Ben & Jerry’s cakes, cookie cores and their newest creation, the Brrr-ito – an ice cream filled soft waffle cone drizzled in hot fudge sauce.
The new Ben & Jerry’s provides yet another tasty outlet for guests at the Caribbean. Located next door is another wildly successful franchise, Starbuck’s Café. Serving a wide selection of coffees, teas and smoothies, as well as baked goods and other treats, Starbuck’s is a great place to get a hot cup of joe to start your vacation day.
Adjoining the property is the famed Sea Captain’s House, the most popular seafood restaurant in Myrtle Beach. For more than 65 years this former beach cottage has been serving some of the best seafood in the Southeast to hungry diners, like the award-winning shrimp and grits and she-crab soup. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner with an amazing ocean view at the Sea Captain’s House. The on-site Red Parrot Bar & Grill is a great place to relax with a frozen drink and some hot food on the Caribbean pool deck.
For the ultimate ice cream and the ultimate Myrtle Beach vacation stay all in one location, visit the Ben & Jerry's and the Caribbean Resort.
(Posted: 9/17/15)
