The Sweet Success Story of Whit’s Frozen Custard (Lake Norman)

When Annsley Ehret and her family moved from Ohio to North Carolina nearly 10 years ago, they brought more than just their belongings. They brought their love for a special frozen treat that would soon become a Lake Norman favorite: Whit’s Frozen Custard.

A Family’s Frozen Custard Love Story

Back in Ohio, the Ehret family were regular customers at the original Whit’s Frozen Custard location. “We used to go to the original all the time,” Annsley explains. “When we decided we were moving, we didn’t know what we would do without Whit’s. So we brought it with us.”

The decision to relocate wasn’t driven by a job transfer. With young children and a sense of adventure, Annsley and her husband decided it was the perfect time to try something new. “We thought if we’re going to try it, let’s do it while our kids are young, and we can always go back if we wanted to,” she says.

They chose the Lake Norman area for its perfect location – right in the middle of North Carolina, about two hours from the mountains and three hours from the coast. After scouting locations, they found Davidson reminded them of Granville, Ohio, where the very first Whit’s opened. Both are “family-oriented towns with a college in them.”

What Makes Whit’s Special

For those unfamiliar with frozen custard, it’s a creamier, richer cousin to ice cream that’s more popular in the Midwest. The key difference? Whit’s makes everything fresh every single day.

“When you go into a typical ice cream shop, it’s made in a factory and shipped and sits in freezers for a long time,” Annsley explains. “We have a special mix that we get from Ohio, and we make it fresh every single day. We’re churning on our vanilla and chocolate throughout the day, probably every hour or two in the summer.”

Beyond the daily-fresh vanilla and chocolate, each location offers:

• A weekly flavor that changes every Monday
• A different flavor of the day
• Custom “Whitzers” where customers can blend in their favorite toppings
• Specialty combinations like the popular “Buckeye Madness” (vanilla with Reese’s peanut butter and chocolate syrup)

From Employee to Co-Owner: Amelia’s Journey

The story gets even more interesting with Amelia White, who started working at Whit’s Davidson when she was just 16. Her mother met Annsley at a baseball game where their sons were playing, and mentioned her daughter was looking for work.

Amelia’s first night was overwhelming. “It was a super busy Saturday night and I didn’t hand in my application. I was like, there’s absolutely no way I can handle this, it’s so busy.” But her mother convinced her to give it a month, and it became “the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Now 23, Amelia has worked her way from team member to shift supervisor to manager, and finally to co-owner of the newest Mooresville location. Her journey offers valuable lessons for young professionals and business owners alike.

The Franchise Advantage

Whit’s operates as a franchise, but with a twist. Unlike many chain restaurants, each location maintains its own personality while following the core brand standards. “Every store is individually different, just to give you that mom and pop feel,” Annsley notes.

This approach provides the best of both worlds:

• Support and proven systems from the franchise
• Flexibility to adapt to local communities
• A network of fellow owners to learn from and share ideas

The franchise has grown from its 2002 Ohio origins to about 90 locations, with the Lake Norman stores being among the first to expand outside of Ohio.

Community Partners

All three Lake Norman locations actively partner with local schools, nonprofits, and businesses. They host “profit share” nights where a portion of sales goes to local causes, and they’ve built strong relationships with Davidson College, local orthodontists, and businesses like Carolina Pie Company.

The story of Whit’s Frozen Custard in Lake Norman proves that sometimes the best business opportunities come from solving your own problems – in this case, missing a favorite treat from back home. With fresh custard made daily, strong community partnerships, and passionate ownership, they’ve created something special that goes far beyond just serving dessert.

Whit’s Frozen Custard has locations in Davidson, Huntersville, and Mooresville. Visit their stores or follow them on social media for weekly flavor updates and community event information.

Get to know Annsley & Amelia in episode 304 of the podcast!

About the author:

Jeff Hamm is the creator and producer of The Best of LKN. He’s a licensed real estate agent and accomplished digital marketing professional.

Since 2020, Jeff has been sharing the stories of Lake Norman’s most inspiring small businesses and nonprofits.

When he isn’t working, you can usually find Jeff boating, playing pickleball, cycling local greenways, and taking walks with his dogs Sam and Maisy.

Jeff Hamm
Broker: LKNreal
Founder: Epic Journey Media

Photo credit: LKN Images by Kathleen Martin