Coffee lovers and ice cream fanatics waited to get their caffeine and sugar fixes at the new Kelly’s Ice Cream and Foxtail Coffee Co. shared space after the sweet treat stop opened just off UF’s campus on Wednesday.
Rustic wood paneling, a bold mural and brown armchairs welcomed customers into the cozy atmosphere. Students chatted on the high seats at the coffee bar and by the window at tables with drinks and sweets in hand.
Founded in the Orlando area in May 2014, Kelly’s has since grown to include 41 scoop counters, all located inside Foxtail stores, and six stand-alone shops. This is its first Gainesville location.
Foxtail, another rapidly expanding Central Florida-based chain, joined forces with Kelly’s about four years ago when Kelly’s was looking to grow. This is the second Foxtail to open in Gainesville, joining a stand-alone location in Butler Plaza.
“I met up with Alex and just kind of sparked an idea,” Kelly Seidl, the founder of Kelly’s Ice Cream, said of Foxtail founder Alex Tchekmeian. “The space complements each other really well.”
The new Gainesville space, located at 309 NW 13th St Suite 90 adjacent to the Hub apartment complex, offers a full menu of coffees, pastries and sandwiches from Foxtail and an ice cream counter featuring about a dozen Kelly’s flavors.
Seidl, 39, grew up spending time on her uncle’s dairy farm in upstate New York and recalled getting ice cream after church and local ball games. She worked as an ice cream scooper throughout high school and nursing school.
She started her own brand while she was in nursing and went from doing farmers markets in 2014 to operating her first ice cream truck in 2015. She opened her first brick-and-mortar store in the Orlando area in July 2015.
Kelly’s is known for its fun flavors, including staples like Cookie Monster, which features Oreos and blue velvet cake batter, as well as seasonal favorites like Pumpkin Spice Latte and Hot Cocoa.
The culinary team comes up with flavor combinations and even concocts new recipes based on customer suggestions.
“We make a lot of flavors that you just can’t find in your local grocery store,” Seidl said.
Seidl said she’s excited to bring a taste of home to college students from Orlando. Several UF students work at Kelly’s while home over the summer, she said.
For 21-year-old UF political science senior Felicia Wilks, the new Kelly’s location is a one-stop shop for ice cream and coffee and a combination of two of her favorite places.
In her hometown, Oviedo, her go-to Kelly’s order is cake batter with sprinkles. She stopped in for a strawberry rose matcha from Foxtail on Wednesday.
Compared to other coffee shops, Wilks said, Foxtail has its own aesthetic and charm.
Foxtail continues to expand from its birthplace in Winter Park, just north of Orlando, to locations across six states, with more on the way. The company will be opening its 100th store next month.
Kenneth Nunez, a 31-year-old Foxtail operating partner, said he’s looking forward to the new audience a location closer to UF’s campus will bring. He first opened a Foxtail franchise in 2021.
Nunez said he’s excited to be an integral part of the UF community, whether that means hosting book clubs or having Girl Scouts sell cookies outside of the shop.
“This location is going to do a great job of just bringing so many different individuals,” he said, “but in a spot that is centralized.”
Every Foxtail location has a unique mural specifically designed for that area. The new location features a design with geometric shapes, palm trees and bright colors, reflecting the vibrancy of Gator country.
Christina Morin, a 38-year-old Foxtail franchisee, said the cafes try to connect with the communities they serve, whether it’s through their murals or their customer service.
“We want to know your name, what you do, where you come from, your dog, your kid, your family,” she said.
Kevin Concha, a 23-year-old UF computer science junior, stopped in for a taste of fall with an iced cold brew with pumpkin spice cold foam.
Concha said Foxtail’s welcoming customer service, good music and quality coffee with personalized options sets it apart.
“I low-key love the vibes here,” he said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
The location will be open every day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. for people to stop in, grab a treat, enjoy time with friends and get work done.
Contact Summer Johnston at sjohnston@alligator.org. Follow her on X @summerajohnston.
