The New York-based dessert brand, known for its rotating lineup of frozen yogurt, soft serve, vegan flavors, and over-the-top toppings bar, has signed a multi-unit agreement with local entrepreneur and Air Force veteran Paul Vignola to develop two San Diego-area stores as part of a larger statewide expansion push.
The move marks a major milestone for 16 Handles, which first launched in Manhattan’s East Village in 2008 and quickly became one of the more recognizable names during America’s frozen yogurt boom. At its peak, the company grew to roughly 40 locations concentrated primarily throughout New York and the Northeast. Now, after years of more measured growth and a broader shift in consumer tastes toward premium desserts and customizable treats, the brand is attempting a West Coast resurgence.
While exact sites and opening timelines for the San Diego County locations have not yet been announced, the stores are expected to land somewhere in North County. The company has simultaneously signed additional California franchise agreements spanning South Orange County, the San Fernando Valley, and the San Francisco Bay Area, part of an eight-unit statewide development effort.
“We’ve always seen California as a natural second home for 16 Handles, but we wanted to enter the market the right way, with strong operators and lots of momentum,” CEO Neil Hershman recently told QSR Magazine.
Unlike many frozen yogurt chains that faded after the category’s explosive popularity cooled in the mid-2010s, 16 Handles has attempted to differentiate itself through novelty flavors, social-media-driven promotions, and a broader dessert identity extending beyond traditional tart yogurt. The company now offers frozen yogurt, gelato, ice cream, vegan soft serve, shakes, acai bowls, and smoothies, alongside more than 50 rotating toppings.
The brand has also leaned heavily into viral and unconventional flavor development in recent years, periodically releasing limited-edition offerings including French Fry, Squid Ink, Butter Beer, Strawberry Tart Kefir, and Keto Chocolate Brownie. That experimental approach has helped generate online attention in a crowded dessert market increasingly dominated by concepts like Crumbl, Salt & Straw, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream, SomiSomi, and specialty boba-driven dessert cafes.
California represents both opportunity and risk for the company. Southern California in particular remains one of the most saturated dessert markets in the country, with legacy frozen yogurt brands like Yogurtland, Pinkberry, Menchie’s, and SweetFrog already deeply established. At the same time, San Diego’s year-round warm weather, strong suburban family demographics, and continued appetite for customizable dessert concepts make the region a logical target for expansion.
The North County openings will also add another national franchise entrant into a rapidly evolving San Diego restaurant landscape where chains are increasingly competing alongside highly localized independent dessert operators. In recent years, San Diego County has seen a surge in premium cookie concepts, Asian dessert cafes, craft ice cream shops, and nostalgia-driven soft serve brands all vying for the same discretionary spending.
Whether 16 Handles can carve out lasting relevance in a market already packed with dessert options remains to be seen. But the company’s arrival signals that even after the original frozen yogurt frenzy cooled years ago, operators still believe there is room in California for a reinvented version of the category.
16 Handles has not yet announced specific North County locations or projected opening dates. For more information, visit 16handles.com.
Originally published on May 6, 2026.
