Jeremiah’s Italian Ice opens soon in McKinney, with more to follow in Collin County

The first Jeremiah’s Italian Ice in Texas is expected to open in June 2020 in McKinney. But others will be hot on its heels, as the cold-treat company expects to open franchises in as many as 10 spots in Texas in the next few years.

Tell your kids: Jeremiah’s has an “unlimited free sample policy,” says Megan Bourke, the McKinney woman opening Texas’ first Jeremiah’s Italian Ice.

Jeremiah’s will be fairly unique in North Texas, as it serves up to 40 flavors of Italian ice that’s smooth in texture — “not like a snow cone,” Bourke says. In addition to its signature Italian ice — which comes in flavors like coconut, cake batter, root beer and cotton candy — Jeremiah’s also sells soft-serve ice cream in vanilla, chocolate or vanilla-chocolate swirl.

Mix the Italian ice and the soft-serve together in a cup and that’s called the Gelati — and it seems to be the thing to get at Jeremiah’s. Swirling two flavors also allows for more interesting flavor combinations. Bourke’s favorite is black cherry Italian ice and vanilla soft serve.

Jeremiah’s Italian Ice was named for founder Jeremy Litwack, who opened the first shop in 1996 in Florida.

Bourke spent most of her life growing up in Orlando, and she worked at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice when she was in college at the University of Central Florida. She has franchise rights to open three Jeremiah’s Italian Ice Shops in North Texas and plans to put them all in Collin County.

“It’s wild to me that it’s come full-circle,” she says. She took her first shift at the shop 12 years ago. “But I can say I’m incredibly honored that I was chosen to bring it here.”

The mom of two moved her family from Orlando to McKinney two and a half years ago after reading about the family-friendly communities in Collin County. Over the years, McKinney been named the No. 1 place to live in the U.S. by Money magazine and the best city for first-time home buyers by wallethub.com. Bourke likes the sense of community not only in McKinney but in all the cities in Collin County.

“We’re such a proud community. We’re proud to foster the community, to uplift the community and really just come together — in a way I’ve never seen in other communities. That’s why we were attracted to McKinney,” she says. She says Jeremiah’s Italian Ice will embed itself in the community by hosting events at schools, churches, foot races or health fairs.

The shop on Eldorado Parkway in McKinney will have a drive-thru — which not all existing Jeremiah’s have.

“As a mom, it’s non-negotiable,” Bourke says.

Jeremiah’s Italian Ice is expected to open at 7820 Eldorado Parkway, McKinney, in June 2020. Leases for the other two shops in North Texas have not been signed yet.