A warm and wholesome ambience, light-hearted gothic décor and crafty, Taiwanese-influenced desserts have crept their way into Columbia County.
Vampire Penguin is a shaved ice shop that’s big on charm and bigger on unique ply flavored concoctions with names like orange dreamscapade, polar affogato and cinnamon crunch. Two weeks ago, the first location in Georgia opened in the Riverwood Town Center in Evans.
Amy and Marvin Walker, the co-owners of the Evans location, sought to remedy the dearth of dessert spots close to the Riverwood area where they live. They took it upon themselves to open a franchise in Columbia County after discovering the location in North Augusta.
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“We fell in love with the dessert itself, fell in love with the store and just decided we needed one here in this area,” said Amy Walker.
Vampire Penguin is acutely distinct in almost every aspect, from its name to its menu to its origins and marketing. The company was launched in Sacramento eight years ago by brothers Leo and Paolo San Luis. Its first locations in Sacramento, Calif. Amy Walker explains that each brother had a favorite character, one a penguin, the other a vampire, that led to the quaint moniker.
There is even a story of the Vampire Penguin character, which Walker is often delighted to tell customers, about how the penguin became a vampire and eventually created “magic snow.”
Vampire Penguin has a gothic-themed decor. Staff photo by Skyler Q. Andrews
Creativity is obviously paramount to the shop’s business model, and so franchises are permitted to create their own shaved ice dishes to add to the standard menu. Among the menu items unique to the Evans include the vanilla frappe and the fruit burst, which consists of strawberry and mango snow and boba.
“It’s all in the presentation,” said Marvin Walker.
Vampire Penguin in Evans had its soft opening Sept. 3 and plans to have a grand opening in the coming weeks. Within that short time, it has already enjoyed an enthusiastic reception driven largely by social media and word of mouth. Customers have already held birthday parties and post-football game gatherings. Amy Walker says that its busiest times every day are the last hour before closing.
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“Everybody has been so supportive,” said Amy Walker. “We’ve had an outstanding turnout.”
The most popular plate is the s’moreo, with cookies and cream, graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate sauce.
“There are some s’moreo lovers out there,” said Amy Walker.
The Walkers look forward to delighting customers in the area. They operate the shop with their three sons and have tuned the shop’s vampire aesthetic toward encouraging their family-friendly atmosphere.
Seeing friends and family come together with faces brightening as they taste the desserts is what the Walkers aim to continue doing. Blake Walker, Marvin and Amy’s oldest son and the mind behind the fruit burst dish, encapsulates the spirit of the business.
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“It’s just all about the smiles,” said Blake Walker. Vampire Penguin in Evans located at 5117 Washington Rd., Ste. 4. For more information visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Vampire-Penguin-Evans-100551968744604
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering Columbia County with The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
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