Franchisees Treat their Hometown to 16 Handles Self-Serve Frozen Yogurt Concept — and their Community Responds in Kind
- 16 Handles franchisees Ken and Sarah Barlow recognized an opportunity when they discovered their hometown of Columbia, S.C., had no self-serve frozen yogurt shop.
- They opened in late June 2025 and had already surpassed $1 million in total revenue by the end of the year, allowing them to pre-pay their entire SBA 7a loan.
- The Barlows sought to “add something joyful,” not only by bringing self-serve frozen yogurt to their community, but also by hosting fundraisers for local schools, teams and organizations.
When Ken and Sarah Barlow (above) opened a 16 Handles self-serve frozen yogurt franchise last year in their hometown of Columbia, S.C., they had a community-centered plan for their business. Their goal with the froyo franchise was to create a space that makes people happy.
“The fun, upbeat environment has been a huge part of our connection with the community,” Ken says. “We also made it a priority to build real relationships beyond our walls. We reached out to local schools, sports teams and community organizations, and those partnerships have grown into something really meaningful.”
Since the opening, the Barlows’ 16 Handles froyo franchise has hosted more than 43 fundraisers for local groups, generating over $17,000 in sales for the organizations. “Being able to give back to the schools, teams and organizations in our community has been one of the most meaningful parts of this journey,” Sarah says.
Connecting with Community
Creating deep local ties has helped build strong support from the community in return. The store opened in June 2025 with long lines and one of the highest-revenue grand opening weekends in the company’s history. Before the year was out, the location had surpassed $1 million in sales.
“Thanks to the incredible support from the community, we were able to pay off our entire SBA loan within just five months of opening,” Ken says. “We’ve also reimbursed ourselves for roughly half of our initial investment while maintaining a strong financial cushion in the store’s account. Just as importantly, we’ve been able to give substantial bonuses to our staff, ensuring that our team shares in the success they’ve helped create.”
Adding Something Joyful
The Barlows’ decision to partner with 16 Handles grew out of a simple request from their daughter. She wanted to create her own treat at an ice cream shop and customize it with her favorite flavors and toppings. When they realized their town no longer had a self-serve frozen yogurt shop, they saw an opportunity.
“That moment planted the seed,” Sarah says. “We knew that bringing a self-service frozen yogurt shop back to Columbia wouldn’t just fill a need – it would add something joyful and community-centered to our city. That’s when we began imagining what eventually became 16 Handles Columbia.”
They researched a number of franchises before deciding on 16 Handles. “We loved the brand’s variety, its constant rotation of unique new flavors and its commitment to offering health-conscious options, all things we knew would resonate with families in Columbia,” Ken says. “The more we learned, the more it felt like the perfect fit: fun, fresh, high-quality and aligned with the kind of experience we wanted to bring back to our community.”
Froyo Phenomenon
Launched in 2008, 16 Handles was the first self-serve frozen yogurt shop in New York City. In 2022, 16 Handles was acquired by Neil Hershman, who was the brand’s largest franchisee and is now CEO, along with YouTube star Danny Duncan, who is the chief creative officer.
Each store features 16 soft-serve options at a time including frozen yogurt, sorbet and all-natural ice cream, with innovative flavors like Strawberry Kefir soft serve and French Fry frozen yogurt. Some choices are vegan or gluten-free, and an extensive topping bar lets customers add the finishing touch.
16 Handles has expanded beyond its New York roots and is continuing to grow, with more than 35 new stores in construction. The brand’s growth mirrors the explosive popularity of frozen yogurt, which has an estimated global market size of $2 billion projected by Fortune Business Insights to grow to $2.65 billion by 2034.
While the company’s traditional stores are around 1,500 square feet, some locations are larger to include extra seating or dedicated party rooms. And stores in certain high-traffic areas like shopping malls are smaller, if a compact footprint works better. Franchisees receive training and guidance by an experienced team and have access to proprietary tech and marketing tools, as well as preferred vendor savings through partnerships with technology companies and even third-party delivery apps.
Feeding the Demand
The Barlows are exploring options for a second franchised store, given the success of their first store. “The enthusiasm from our guests and the way people consistently ask for a location closer to their part of town all make us confident that a second store would be equally loved and supported,” Ken says.
The Barlows have drawn on their different backgrounds and skill sets to run the self-serve frozen yogurt franchise: Ken is a Marine Corps veteran with 25 years of experience in the IT industry and Sarah has worked in restaurant and retail management. “Ken is very hands-on in the store,” Sarah says, while she works behind the scenes to manage operations and marketing. “Together, our roles balance each other and allow us to stay connected to both our team and our guests in meaningful ways.”
“Communication and mutual respect have always been the cornerstones of our marriage, and those same qualities have guided us in building this business together,” Ken says. “What we’ve learned is that having a strong foundation in our relationship first has made all the difference. That foundation has allowed us to navigate challenges, celebrate wins and grow this business as a true team.”
For information about franchise opportunities, visit the 16 Handles website.
