Port Washington’s 16 Handles has undergone renovations that new owner Ben Gruber said created an entirely new store for the community to enjoy. Now Gruber is working to reinstate the frozen yogurt shop as an integral aspect of the community after losing its customer base in the past.
16 Handles, located at 1005 Port Washington Blvd., is a self-serve frozen yogurt shop that allows customers to customize their frozen treat to their hearts’ desires.
Gruber, who also owns the 16 Handles Jericho location and formerly the one in Great Neck, took over ownership of the Port Washington store in 2020. When he acquired the business, Gruber said it was indecli ne and had lost many of its customers.
The store was in poor conditions, Gruber said, which had driven away customers poor along with inadequate customer service.
“It so badly needed some TLC,” Gruber said.
But taking over the business at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic proved challenging to Gruber, who had to delay much of the renovations and management changes he planned for the store.
Now that the pandemic hurdles are gone, Gruber said the store has been “completely changed” with a newly renovated interior and a new, effective management in place.
Renovations include an upgraded seating area and new machines.
Gruber, who is from Roslyn but currently lives in South Florida, said a trustworthy manager was an important aspect of the upgraded store. He said he now has that in someone who can also provide improved customer service to the patrons.
Despite the positive changes, Gruber said the process of transition, which has been challenging, is still ongoing. Gruber said the next step for Port’s 16 Handles is earning back the customers they lost in prior years.
He said while fans loved their frozen yogurt, what turned them away in the past was the customer service.
“So we’re still trying to regain the trust from our customers again,” Gruber said. “We’re trying every single day to get our customers back and really show them our changes.”
He said he doesn’t want 16 Handles to be just another store in the community. His goal is to make it a fun store that locals flock to for family-friendly fun, which is what customers should expect going forward.
“I want a store where the kids come in, they’re excited to be there and they tell their friends about these weird combinations that they made,” Gruber said. “It should be an exciting place. It shouldn’t be just another ice cream store.”
Gruber said 16 Handles is a community-oriented store and he is looking forward to working more for the Port community. His goal is to become more deeply ingrained in the community and take part in community fund-raisers.
“We really want to be involved in the local community,” Gruber said.
The Port Washington Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a ribbon-cutting for the newly renovated store at noon Friday.
