NORFOLK, Va. — A new dessert and ice cream shop in Downtown Norfolk is bringing fun, art and sweet treats to their new location on Granby Street.
Bria Suggs is the owner of BLYSS Ice Cream & Desserts at 112 Granby Street. She says she was born in Virginia Beach then moved to Portsmouth, then Norfolk... basically, Suggs is a Hampton Roads native.
One of her first jobs was at Dairy Queen, but she spent nearly a decade serving in the military at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton and spent the majority of that time on active duty.
Then, she was able to return to her ice cream roots and started Shake It Up Shakes, a local business that travels to different locations. Suggs says BLYSS is a different brand but is an extension of Shake It Up Shakes, which began as a food truck.
BLYSS has classic treats like ice cream cups, cones and milkshakes, but the shop also has fun treats like giant strawberry cheesecake sundaes and ice cream nachos!
"Ice cream nachos, we like to say it's the cone without the drip!" Sugg says avoiding the messiness of an ice cream cone inspired the item, but also the increased customization. "You put so many more toppings on the nachos versus the cone."
One of the first things you'll notice walking into BLYSS is the alternative artsy decorations, seating and vibe. There are fun twists on classic art pieces and bringing modern icons into the art scene of yesterday. Suggs says that Granby Street's own style inspired the unique look.
"The Hilton Main Hotel inspired me. If I could take every part of my style and put it into one place this would describe me as a person perfectly... I also had the opportunity to bring in a few friends of mine and family who did original art pieces," Sugg said.
"Wanted to give more of a first-date night kind an older crowd, but still be able to capture younger people."
The shop is open until 9 p.m. so it's perfect for a post-dinner or activity treat.
She said Granby Street was where she wanted to grow her business because of her love for Norfolk; "I absolutely love the city of Norfolk. They've been so supportive from the beginning of the business to now. In 2019, they were one of the first cities to actually designate a spot for food trucks and for small businesses."
You can find more information about BLYSS Ice Cream & Desserts on their Instagram and Facebook.