Chill Bros., Tampa's homegrown ice cream brand, plots next wave of growth
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Nov 7, 2023

Chill Bros., Tampa's homegrown ice cream brand, is about to open its fifth location in Heights Public Market at Armature Works — and founder Max Chillura sees room for at least two more scoop shops in the Tampa Bay region.

The Armature Works location should open by late December, Chillura told the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Chill Bros. also has scoop shops in Ybor City, South Tampa, Water Street Tampa and at the Epicurean Hotel.

"It'll be a huge billboard for us," Chillura said of the Armature Works location. "The draw [Armature Works] has for tourism and the greater Tampa Bay and Central Florida area — we are super excited. They do an incredible job with activation and creating a really strong tenant mix."

Armature Works will be Chill Bros.' last location in Tampa proper. Its commissary kitchen at the Epicurean Hotel can support up to seven stores. By the end of 2024, Chillura wants to be in St. Petersburg, preferably with one store open and another in the development pipeline. Suburban Tampa locations are also under consideration.

In St. Pete, he's looking for real estate in both the downtown core and its surrounding neighborhoods. The ideal size range for a scoop shop is 900 to 1,300 square feet and average startup costs for a location range from $300,000 to $500,000.

Once seven scoop shops are open and the company approaches $5 million in annual revenue, Chillura said they will look at opening a larger-scale production facility for the next phase of growth. The average scoop shop does $725,000 in annual sales, and the company is on track to bring in $3 million in revenue this year.

Chill Bros. has never taken on any debt; its growth to date has been funded by investments from family and friends. For its next phase, Chillura said he will look at strategic partnerships for funding and help with manufacturing and logistics.

"We're looking at expanding carefully and organically," he said. "What I feel gives us a competitive edge is the reason we started this — to stay relatively local in the Central Florida market and then maybe some select locations that justify the investment."

Opening an ice cream shop was a childhood dream of Chillura and his siblings, and Chill Bros. remains a family affair. His siblings are involved in the company; his mother designed the red-and-blue stripes on the walls of each scoop shop, and his father, Tampa banker Joe Chillura, provides business advice and insight.

"He's been a mentor, an adviser and a guiding light through the whole process," Chillura said of his father. "He helps me keep the big picture in mind. It's easy to get pulled into all the small things that are going on. He's been integral in the development of this brand and this business."