Partners Open Their 1st MilkShake Factory Unit in Florida

Franchise partners Renee and Brent Schadenberg have opened their first MilkShake Factory, launching a new location in the Palma Sola area of West Bradenton, Florida, as part of a broader plan to develop six stores with the brand.

The new restaurant is located at 7230 Manatee Avenue West, just over the Manatee Bridge and near Anna Maria Island. The site sits within a close-knit pocket of West Bradenton surrounded by family neighborhoods, schools, and popular restaurants, a mix the franchisees say made the location a natural fit.

"We were immediately drawn to MilkShake Factory's story," Renee Schadenberg said. "It's a fourth-generation family business with so much heart behind it, and that really resonated with us. Ice cream has always been the go-to dessert in our family, and whenever we travel, we're always searching for the best local ice cream spots. Now we get to be that place for our own community."

The Schadenbergs, serial entrepreneurs who previously owned and operated several businesses in Michigan, relocated to Florida three years ago with the goal of building a long-term presence in their new community.

"This location has such a great sense of place," Brent Schadenberg said. "It's a small community within Bradenton with families, tourists, and people just enjoying life by the water. MilkShake Factory is meant to be a gathering place, and Palma Sola checked every box for us."

The Palma Sola store features a custom milkshake-themed mural inspired by manatees and Manatee County, reflecting the franchisees' focus on creating a local connection within the space.