Looking for a refreshing cold snack on a hot summer day? A new place at 247-01 Post Ave. in Westbury can satisfy any sweet tooth. Flash Freeze, which opened on June 17, serves fresh Hawaiian shaved ice like Long Island has never seen before.
Flash Freeze dates back to 2014, when founder Varun Verma served shaved ice from under a tent at multiple fairs and carnivals for almost three years.
“It was a great learning experience,” said Verma. “I started by doing a small event, with only 10 flavors. After each event, I perfected the process to maximize efficiency and the quality of the product we serve.”
There, he saw that his product was something very special. Once customers tried Flash Freeze’s Hawaiian shaved ice, many fell in love with the product and followed him from event to event.
“Once people realized what we were selling, they all wanted to get a taste. Many of our customers at the events came back year after year, knowing we would be there,” said Verma.
Confident that his product was a fan-favorite, Verma began looking to partner with someone who was business-minded to open a Flash Freeze storefront. That was when he decided to team up with Thomas Dunn to establish the store in Westbury. It took the two almost six months of non-stop work to build the store from the bottom up the way they wanted. Dunn was the one who created the Hawaiian-themed shaved ices stop.
“I got creative and loved the idea,” said Dunn. “I have never seen an ice place let alone a Hawaiian shaved ice place. It just came to mind.”
When people step foot inside Flash Freeze, they will not only receive a shaved Hawaiian ice, but they will also get a full Hawaiian experience. The decor of Flash Freeze is on point with the overall culture of Hawaii. The Aloha sign and full tiki bar will make guests feel like they’re on vacation in paradise.
Flash Freeze is very different from shaved ices stores on Long Island, said Verma.
“Our product itself is a lot more fresh compared to the other ices places,” said Verma. “Here we make everything in store and in terms of the flavors, we have a good amount.”
(Photo by Rachel Hirschheimer)
Flash Freeze offers more than 40 flavors and 15 toppings, giving customers 60,010 total combinations, making it impossible to run out of pairings to try. With their most popular flavors being Blue Zilla and Tigers Blood, customers are constantly interested in their out-of-the-box flavors.
Dunn said Flash Freeze brings back memories for folks who arrive for the first time.
“All of the elderly people come here thinking this is something they used to have back in the day when they were younger and they don’t have that anymore,” said Dunn.
