Florida News

Scratch-Made Ice Cream Shop Opening in Fort Lauderdale

Sweet Melody is opening its third location in Fort Lauderdale, serving scratch-made ice cream, sundaes, milkshakes, and pints.

Picture courtesy of Sweet Melody.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Sweet Melody, the scratch-made ice cream shop founded by Mike Romeu, is targeting an opening around Feb. 20 at 908 N Flagler Dr, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304, Romeu told Business Debut.

The shop will be Sweet Melody’s third location, with a fourth location coming soon at 10141 W Flagler St, Suite 120, Miami, FL 33174.

What to Expect

The Fort Lauderdale shop is designed for a quick stop, with a small footprint and limited seating that includes “a couple of benches and a counter,” Romeu told Business Debut. He described it as “the fastest of fast casual,” reflecting what the team is seeing as more customers opt for grab-and-go.

Sweet Melody is leaning into that identity with a honeycomb-inspired look featuring yellows and blacks, which he said is “very different from anything else we’ve ever done in the past.”

Sweet Melody will continue offering “classic super premium American style hard packed ice cream,” plus sundaes, milkshakes, scoops, and pints to go, Romeu told Business Debut.

A location-exclusive flavor called The Hive is planned specifically for the Fort Lauderdale location. Romeu said it will be a “buttery vanilla” base with homemade honeycomb pieces and milk chocolate flakes mixed throughout.

The brand’s name and theme are rooted in family and music. Sweet Melody is named after Romeu’s daughter, Melody, and the Fort Lauderdale shop will continue the music-forward approach with elements like a record player setup that will also serve as a place for merchandise.

Romeu said the company has remained scratch-made, and while a partner now produces the base mix as the business expands, the team continues making add-ins from scratch, with each flavor built from its own recipe.

He added, “We don’t really sell ice cream. What we’re really selling is joy.”

Ownership and Team

Sweet Melody was founded by Mike Romeu and is named after his daughter, Melody Romeu, whom he described as “a very important person” behind the brand.

Romeu also highlighted several key team members involved in daily operations across locations. Denise Zamora serves as area manager, overseeing multiple stores. Madison Alvarez leads operations at the Tembo location, home to the brand’s original ice cream window concept. Chasity Garcia oversees the Citadel Food Hall location.