Vampire Penguin claims to be “taking over the world, one shaved ice at a time”—and St. Louis will soon be a pit stop on the march toward global domination.
The catchy storyline about a lonely caped avian is just one of the reasons that Timothy Dillman decided to purchase a franchise of the California-based chain. He’s also a big fan of the product itself: a light, fluffy, low-calorie frozen dessert that lends itself to an endless variety of flavors and toppings. Here’s what to expect in February when Vampire Penguin opens at 12 ½ S. Euclid in the Central West End.
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The Menu
Vampire Penguin’s shaved snow has a consistency between a snow cone and ice cream, with behavior similar to the first powdering of real snow, Dillman says. It absorbs liquid without melting and is easy to mold into shapes for serving.
But unlike snow, the base product has more ingredients than mere water. “There’s a proprietary formula we use and a specific assembly of the product,” Dillman explains. As a franchisee, he’s been learning all about mixing it up in 22-quart containers and then transferring it to 2-quart cylindrical molds before freezing it. “We store it at –45° Celsius and shave it made to order.”
There’s also a specific technique for shaving the snow via an 80-pound piece of specialized equipment to yield the exact right texture in every serving.
Once the snow is shaved, Vampire Penguin has a classic menu of toppings that every franchise offers. These include the Snow Thaiger (Thai tea snow, crushed Oreos, and condensed milk), Dulce de Leche (vanilla snow, bananas, whipped cream, flan, and caramel syrup), Polar Affogatto (coffee and vanilla snow, brownie bites, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and cocoa powder), PCB (peanut butter and chocolate snow with crushed Reese’s chips and chocolate sauce), and Mexican Candy (mango snow, watermelon, Chamoy, caramel syrup, and Tajin seasoning).
Dillman’s personal favorite is the Strawberry Cheesecake, developed as “an expression of true love for a beautiful polar bear.” Part of the fun of the menu is knowing the backstory—that Vampire Penguin has a love interest, Paula Bear, and a best friend, Walter the Walrus, who thinks he is also a vampire. But he’s not.
“The Strawberry Cheesecake tastes just like cheesecake, but it’s cold and refreshing and so much lighter,” Dillman says. The base for each dessert is around 70 or 80 calories, so while it’s not a true health food, it’s also not super filling. Most of the desserts are gluten-free and dairy-free, and some are sugar-free as well.
“There’s an unlimited amount of flavors you could make,” Dillman says. “My hometown location in north Augusta, Georgia, has a praline flavor that is divine.” The parent company encourages franchisees to develop their own local specialties, and Dillman hints that gooey butter cake is on his short list. Vampire Penguin helps with research and development of their specialties, ensuring that owners achieve the desired texture and flavor profile.
The Atmosphere
Dillman’s a fan of the Vampire Penguin aesthetic. He loved that his hometown location leaned heavily into the New Gothic theme for its décor. He also loved that it donated its profits to college scholarships—because philanthropy is another aspect of the parent company’s brand. (Sadly, that location is now permanently closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene.)
“One of the things that drew me to my location was the stained glass windows,” Dillman says of the storefront in the Central West End, just north of the Barnes-Jewish campus. “It’s a little ray of hope when you’re coming out of the medical facilities.”
The interior buildout started in early November. The 500-square-foot space will include a commercial kitchen, the service counter, and a handful of café chairs for customers who choose to enjoy their dessert on site. Outside the giant windows, there will be patio seating for takeout customers.
Dillman says the St. Louisans he’s talked to aren’t familiar with the shaved snow concept yet, so he anticipates the need to educate potential customers about the product as well as the Vampire Penguin brand. While some franchisees also offer boba beverages, Dillman is not planning those as part of his menu, to avoid competition with existing CWE businesses.
The Team
Dillman discovered St. Louis while on a solo vacation a few years ago, and he liked it so much he eventually moved here from Georgia. He’s excited to join the ranks of the businesses in the CWE—especially the culinary scene. “The food here is just amazing,” he says.
He has worked as a software engineer for more than a decade, and he got to know the back end of the restaurant industry as a software developer for Shake Shack. When he started exploring the idea of investing in a franchise, choosing a starting point was easy. “I’ve always loved desserts,” he says. “Being from the South, there are so many good desserts.”
He appreciates that the Vampire Penguin founders, Paolo and Leo San Luis, are very approachable, encouraging franchisees to reach out with requests and pulling together group calls as needed. Dillman also credits his boyfriend, Ty Rowlett, and another friend, Emily Herren, for their tremendous support in getting his Vampire Penguin business started.
Dillman has an invitation for any Vampire Penguin fans in St. Louis: “If you’re already familiar with this company, let me know your favorite flavor.” And for those who are just now learning about Vampire Penguin and the stylish crusader’s shaved snow, he invites you to follow along on his Instagram feed toward the shop’s February opening, promising “my goal is to make you smile.”
