India-Based Thickshake Factory Makes a Play for Long Beach

In late-December, Long Beach will be the first U.S. city to host a Thickshake Factory, an Indian chain dedicated entirely to milkshakes. In 2013, brothers and co-owners Yeshwanth and Ashwin Ananth Nag Mocherla launched their first shop in Hyderabad, and now own 49 locations throughout India.

There are 30 types of shakes on the Thickshake Factory menu, which apply some classic and unique flavor combinations, as well as non-dairy fruit slushes. They also offer customizable shakes, à la Cold Stone Creamery assembly style: choose a base ice cream; then find a primary flavor like Snickers or Kit Kat; and move onto a secondary set of flavors such as banana or the beloved bourbon before finishing with toppings. Prices range from $4.99 to $8.99.

Thickshake Factory will open in a shifting area of downtown Long Beach. For years, the Promenade was full of empty and declining storefronts, especially after the closures of Nordstrom Rack and Walmart. The redevelopment initiative was designed to attract new businesses like the Thickshake Factory, along with the Prohibition-themed distillery Portuguese Bend, which opens next year.

Milkshakes are not always a guarantee of success, as the celebrity-driven Millions of Milkshakes closed in 2016. Long Beach milkshake specialty shops are rare, with Guanabana as Thickshake Factory’s closest competitor. Hours will be Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. once it opens.

Thickshake Factory
335 The Promenade North
Long Beach, CA

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