Palm Beach, FL — After delighting generations of locals and tourists alike for four decades, Sprinkles, the beloved Palm Beach ice cream shop, is closing its doors on Memorial Day, May 26, following 40 years of serving up scoops of nostalgia.
Located at 279 Royal Poinciana Way, Sprinkles has long been a treasured mainstay in Palm Beach—a classic parlor where families gathered after beach days, kids celebrated birthdays, and even global superstars like Michael Jackson once dropped by for a frozen treat.
The closure comes not from declining sales or financial stress, but due to structural repairs required on the building. According to co-owner Anson Ainsworth, the building will be vacated for a minimum of six months, making continued operations impossible for the time being. Ainsworth and his wife and business partner, Cortney Berry, expressed hope of opening a pop-up location elsewhere in Palm Beach during the repair period. However, they have not confirmed whether Sprinkles will return to its original location once the renovations are completed.
The news has hit the community hard, as Sprinkles wasn’t just an ice cream shop—it was a cherished part of the town’s character. Since opening in 1985 under original owners Therese Williams and her daughter Taylor Morgan, Sprinkles has weathered ownership changes and industry shifts, maintaining its charm and commitment to quality.
Its menu—ranging from ice cream and sorbet to sherbet, sundaes, milkshakes, and smoothies—offered something for everyone, often outshining even big-name competitors like Baskin-Robbins in the hearts of locals.
The shop’s closure marks another loss in a wave of recent closures affecting iconic and longstanding food establishments across the country. From Dairy Queen franchise disputes in Texas to broader challenges like inflation, interest rate hikes, and changing consumer habits, the ice cream business—usually seen as immune to economic cycles—has found itself in increasingly uncertain territory.
Still, for Palm Beach, the end of Sprinkles’ chapter at Royal Poinciana Way is bittersweet. While the shutters may come down on the shop this Memorial Day, the memories, the scoops, and the sticky-fingered smiles it gave rise to will linger.
And if Ainsworth and Berry have their way, Sprinkles may yet find a new home to keep the legacy alive—one cone at a time.
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