‘We can make people’s day.’ Look inside Bradenton’s first Milkshake Factory
Renee and Brent Schadenberg were through with the food and beverage business.
That was until they were introduced to the Milkshake Factory, a family-run shop that began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The confectionery franchised its shops to 17 states, including Florida.
In December, the popular shop, which specializes in handspun milkshakes and gourmet chocolates made from family recipes spanning four generations, opened its first Manatee County location with the Schadenbergs at the helm.
Tucked inside the Beachway Plaza at 7230 Manatee Ave. W., the Palma Sola location is holding a grand opening Saturday, Jan. 24, where customers can buy one shake and receive one free between 12 and 4 p.m.
“I love that we can make people’s day,” said franchise owner Renee Schadenberg, who has plans to open six total locations between Bradenton and Fort Myers. “People leave here super happy, even if they came in not having the best day.”
The Milkshake Factory opens Bradenton location
Inside the shop, beach-themed art depicting a milkshake glass adorned by a manatee, ray, sun, palm tree and waves is slapped along a wall, while a chocolate fountain and old-school milkshake spinners craft classic, signature and gourmet flavor combinations behind the counter.
“Our most popular is the chocolate-dipped strawberry,” Schadenberg said. “Mint cookies and cream is also really popular.”
Milkshakes are made with the company’s proprietary ice cream base. Flavors and syrups are blended in. Classic shakes are $6.95, with signature and gourmet shakes scaled up in price from there.
The Chocolate Dipped Strawberry, a signature shake, has sliced strawberries, semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted fudge and is topped with a strawberry.
Other signature flavors include the Chocolate Cake Shake, Campfire S’mores and Cookie Jar.
Gourmet shakes include the Mint Cookies & Cream along with Bananas Foster, Confetti Frosted Cupcake, Peanut Butter Brownie, Chocolatier, Raspberries & Cream and more.
There are also classic flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint chip, raspberry and cookies and cream, and non-dairy options.
“I love that we have that (non-dairy) option,” Schadenberg said. “I’m not lactose intolerant, but I do prefer doing non-dairy because I just kind of feel better. But our non-dairy is really good. You would be hard-pressed to find the difference.”
Shop owners relocated to Manatee County
The Schadenbergs, who own businesses in Michigan, moved to Florida in 2022 because their teenage son plays basketball at IMG Academy.
Once settled, they looked for a way to get plugged into their new community. And it wasn’t going to be in the food and beverage realm.
“That was in another lifetime, we did food and beverage for a hot second,” Schadenberg said. “It was kind of one of those, ‘Okay, well that was a learning experience.’ I won’t do that again.”
But when the Schadenbergs and their two teenagers visit places, they always look for a local ice cream or dessert spot. The Milkshake Factory checked that box.
“It was everything we loved about food and nothing that we hated about the food side,” Schadenberg said.
How did the Milkshake Factory begin?
Founder Dana Edwards Manatos is a fourth-generation chocolatier, with her great-grandparents, Charlie and Orania opening a chocolate shop and soda fountain in 1914 after emigrating from Greece, according to company history. Edwards Manatos founded the Milkshake Factory in 2003, with an expansion around the Pittsburgh area by 2016, company history said.
“Loved the story, loved the product,” Schadenberg said.
More than just milkshakes
And that product wasn’t just the milkshakes. Owing to its founding as a chocolate factory, the shop also sells a variety of chocolate barks as well as sundaes, molten chocolate cups and a root beer float.
Schadenberg initially slept on the chocolate.
“At first I was kind of like, ‘Well, that’s cool that they do that,’” she said. “But not that big of a deal. And then when I tried the chocolate, that was a game-changer for me. I was like, ‘Okay, this chocolate is actually really good.’”
The Milkshake Factory’s store hours
The shop is open daily from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. For Saturday’s grand opening between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., free Milkshake Factory T-shirts are given to the first 100 customers, a gift basket for the first customer, chocolate sampling, a DJ kicking the celebration off.
For more information, visit www.MilkshakeFactory.com.
