Hialeah Ice Cream Sensation to Open Second Location This Fall

A decade after serving its first swirl of soft-serve, Charlie's Ice Cream — a family-run, walk-up shop on Hialeah Drive — is officially expanding. What began in 2015 as a neighborhood favorite tucked into a former Dairy Queen has grown into one of Miami's sweetest success stories, and now it's heading west.

Owner Charles Sauer, who has spent the past ten years building his brand one cone at a time, announced that a second Charlie's Ice Cream will debut this fall in Westchester, near the intersection of Coral Way and SW 97th Avenue. "After 10 years of success and continuous growth at our current shop, and hearing all the time that people drive from all over to buy our ice cream, I figured it was time to expand," Sauer shared on Instagram. "I secured a great long-term lease last year that I couldn't pass up. We are very excited to serve the great community of Westchester! We hope to be open and ready to serve you all great tasting treats by October or November of this year."

A Sweet Overnight Sensation

The original Hialeah location is beloved for its straightforward menu of cones, shakes, floats, and sundaes, all made with soft-serve or traditional ice cream. Sauer has also made a point to push boundaries, introducing playful concoctions like "ice cream nachos," which have become social media darlings in their own right. That blend of nostalgic simplicity and Instagram-worthy creativity has made Charlie’s Ice Cream a rare breed: a mom-and-pop shop that thrives in the digital age.

@charliesicecreammiami Have your tried our ice cream nachos yet?! 🤩🔥 . 📍 Charlie’s Ice cream . #hialeah #miami #icecream #softserve #icecreamnachos #miamiicecream #helado ♬ La Bilirrubina - Juan Luis Guerra 4.40

It's not uncommon for customers to line up at the walk-up window after spotting one of Sauer's pastel-colored sundaes or over-the-top creations online. The shop's Instagram account has grown to nearly 12,000 followers, with TikTok adding another 7,000 — numbers that rival some of Miami's buzziest dessert concepts. Posts consistently rack up thousands of views, often with comments from people planning a trek across town just to get a taste.

The announcement of the Westchester expansion sparked a wave of excitement. "Awesome! Right by the crib! No more driving through Hialeah," one fan wrote. Another added: "I have always wanted to try your ice cream at your Hialeah storefront, but have not gotten a chance. I can't wait to visit your Westchester location (just five minutes away from my house)." If all goes according to plan, the second shop will open in October or November — just in time for Miamians to trade pumpkin spice for a swirl of Charlie's.

Charlie's Ice Cream Hialeah. 510 Hialeah Dr., Hialeah; 305-888-2836; instagram.com/charliesicecream. Opening in Westchester this fall.