Kilwins has officially opened its first location in Ocala, bringing its long-standing tradition of handmade sweets to the Market Street at Heath Brook shopping plaza.
The new store is located at 4414 SW College Road in Suite 420, situated between Barnes and Noble and Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant.
Founded in 1947, Kilwins is celebrated as an Americana heritage brand known for its chocolates, fudges, ice creams, and various confections.
The Ocala shop continues the company’s tradition of making many products fresh on-site, utilizing heritage kitchen tools to create things like caramel apples, brittle, and hand-crafted chocolates.
Since 1985, Kilwins has also been recognized for its “Original Recipe Ice Cream,” which is made with milk and cream sourced from family farms, according to the company.
The ice cream is crafted in small batches and features proprietary inclusions like hand-paddled fudge and copper-kettle caramel, all of which are transported in specialized temperature-controlled trucks to maintain texture.
There are currently over 185 Kilwins franchises across the United States. The new location in Ocala joins other nearby stores in Gainesville and The Villages.
Have you had a chance to visit the new Kilwins at Market Street at Heath Brook? Share your thoughts on the new shop in a comment or a letter to the editor.
Kilwins is one of several new restaurants and other businesses that have opened within Market Street at Heathbrook. Over the past two years, the shopping plaza has welcomed the additions of Crumbl Cookies, Great Greek Mediterranean, and Men’s Wearhouse. A new Planet Smoothie is also under construction at a the plaza.
Throughout the rest of the city, at least one other national ice cream brand is planning on joining the scene: Häagen-Dazs is currently working on a new location in downtown.