Bruster’s Real Ice Cream is returning to Warner Robins. Here are the details

A Florida couple plans to breathe new life into a former bank building, bringing a Bruster’s Real Ice Cream back to Warner Robins with space also for a compatible restaurant.

Terry and Sarah Scott purchased a Bruster’s franchise for Warner Robins and Centerville, and they have a preliminary site plan for the former BB&T building at 127 Russell Parkway.

“We just buy the right real estate, do our little business enterprises where we like to go, and we really like Warner Robins,” Terry Scott said. “It’s got a nice community feel.

“So, I think Bruster’s is really going to shine there, and we’ll eventually sell the franchise and just keep the real estate.”

A restaurant, too

The building is about 2,000 square feet, with around 1,000 square feet for the ice cream shop and a to-be-determined restaurant.

“We’d be happy to see a family come in there that wants to open a sub shop or a taco shop, or some Asian food,” Scott said. “We’d be wide open to whatever anybody wants to do there.

“But we’d be looking for some proven people — not first timers. We’d like to see some track record.”

The Scotts also are interested in starting a similar venture in Centerville at a future point.

“We’re looking for somebody who maybe we do this one with them and maybe they go, ‘Hey, I want to build another one over in Centerville when you build your Bruster’s in Centerville’ because we have that in our territory,” he said.

“And so, we’re just open to those things. We’re walking through life with this. We’re not in a marathon here. We’re just kind of walking along and we’re going to do it right one step at a time.”

They’re also open to the possibility of purchasing a franchise for the other space.

“If the right concept comes along, we might decide to commit to that franchise concept,” he said.

At the Russell Parkway location, the Scotts plan to build about a 2,000 square foot outdoor permanent dining patio area.

“You’ve seen the front of Bruster’s before where they have the lovely year round umbrellas and sometimes concrete, sometimes metal seating and tables,” he said. “And we’ll do that for the two tenants that will be there.”

In addition to the outdoor patio area, the preliminary site plan includes a covered walkway between the ice cream shop and restaurant space with parking in the back of the building.

“We’ve got an interior plan done for the Brewster’s,” he said. “But we can’t start on exterior elevations and our full drawings on the building until we know who the tenant is going to be next door.”

The next door space will have a drive-up lane and window “so that those, you know, that champion the cause through Uber Eats and DoorDash, online ordering and telephone ordering, they can just phone ahead and they can drive up that window and hand it to ‘em,” Scott said.

“The Bruster’s on the other hand will have a drive-through lane with an order board that will stack 15 cars as well as the traditional Bruster’s walk-up windows. I think we’re going to have five walk-up windows and one drive-thru window.”

Once they have the next door tenant signed, about three or four months will be needed to complete plans and approval from the city and then another five to six months to build it.

“We’ll completely redevelop the site and tear up the parking and refacing the buildings,” Scott said. “We’re not tree-huggers, but I’m an environmental developer. I recycle old buildings. That’s all I do.”

Founded in 1989, Bruster’s has nearly 200 independently owned locations in 22 states, Guyana and South Korea, according to its website. Known for its handcrafted ice cream made in its stores daily, Bruster’s allows each store to make up to 24 flavors daily. The only required flavors are vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. They also offer yogurt, Italian ice and sorbet.

At one time, both Warner Robins and Macon had a Bruster’s location. Undaunted, Scott doesn’t know why those locations closed and is banking on the new location succeeding.

“We are excited to invest in a quality small town, revitalize the area, start small businesses for families to buy, expand and employ their own children and other people’s kids — and impact the community for good,” he said.

For those interested in the restaurant space or employment at the ice cream shop, Scott can be reached via email at terry@thetsagroup.com.