Jon and Micayla Bahr are at a truly sweet spot in life.

On March 1, Micayla gave birth to a girl, Taverie, the couple’s first child. Just over three weeks later, the Bahrs held a soft opening for the state’s first MilkShake Factory, on Colorado Springs’ north side.

Taverie was born two and a half weeks early — a blessing, Micayla says, as that gave the couple a bit of breathing space between the baby coming and the business opening. A grand opening celebration, meanwhile, is set for Saturday.

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The roots of MilkShake Factory reach back more than a century; the company began in 1914 as a small soda fountain and chocolate shop in Pittsburgh, leading to four generations of chocolatiers and a growing business. The Springs location is one of the first MilkShake Factory franchise stores.

Micayla and Jon moved to Colorado Springs from the Phoenix area in 2022; for Jon, it was a return to familiar territory, since he had lived in the Springs for a few years previously. Both have a background in the corporate world: Micayla in accounting and supply chain analysis (she still has her desk job, but is on maternity leave) and Jon in financing. But he’s “always had that itch,” he says, to have his own business.

Franchising, he says, seemed to be the best path to that goal. “We liked the idea of being partnered with someone who has figured it out and it is our job to execute from the playbook and provide a great guest experience. We didn’t want to start from scratch.”

He learned of MilkShake Factory when the president of the family-owned company appeared on a podcast. Jon shared that podcast with Micayla “and it was off to the races.”

After they applied online, a series of interviews followed and then a visit to Pittsburgh to meet with company officials — and sample some milkshakes. They signed the franchise agreement in the fall of 2023.

The company and the franchise team “have been amazing to work with,” Jon says. “They’re the type of people we want to be in business with. And the product is fantastic.”

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That product, of course, is milkshakes — an assortment ranging from basic chocolate and vanilla to Chocolate Dipped Strawberry, Campfire S’mores and much more — plus a few sundaes, a root beer float and chocolate treats made mostly in the store. The ice cream is made daily in-house using MilkShake Factory’s exclusive recipe. The company touts “an unforgettable dessert experience with every sip and bite.”

Jon and Micayla had their first date at an ice cream shop, Micayla says, so MilkShake Factory brings back sweet memories. She quickly embraced the concept as one that could nurture a feeling of community and bring a smile to people’s faces.

The 1,420-square-foot shop is part of the Highlands at Briargate retail center. MilkShake Factory’s next-door neighbor is the second Colorado Springs location of Chicken Salad Chick, which just celebrated its grand opening on Wednesday. Across the parking lot is the Dave & Buster’s arcade and sports bar.

While business the first few days was fueled mostly by family and friends, more and more customers are finding the shop, largely through word of mouth, Jon says. “The community of Colorado Springs has really embraced us.”

And there may be more to embrace. The Bahrs are seeking a site for a second location and could open three in all in the Springs area.

From couples on a date to grandparents bringing in their grandkids, it’s about building relationships and memories, Micayla says.

“We love people coming here to celebrate things big and small. We feel honored when they choose us.”

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