Farewell To Petaluma Sweet Shop Know For Whimsical Brainfreezers

PETALUMA, CA — Years of celebrations, first jobs, frozen treats, and brain freezes will soon come to end, a bitter reality that is leaving loyal customers heartbroken.

Once Upon a Slush, the fairy tale-themed dessert shop tucked into American Alley in downtown Petaluma, will close permanently on Aug. 30, owners Dave and Juliet Pokorny announced Sunday.

The couple shared the news in an emotional social media message to customers, saying the business had fulfilled a longtime dream of owning a neighborhood shop while becoming part of countless local milestones.

"After seven wonderful years, we've made the bittersweet decision to close Once Upon a Slush," they wrote.

Located at 122B American Alley, the shop became known for colorful Italian-style slushes, Straus Family Creamery soft-serve ice cream, and a whimsical storybook theme that included espresso drinks, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, soups, popcorn, catering, community fundraisers, and downtown treasure hunts.

A Wicked Slush

The Pokornys opened the business in 2019 as a Wicked Slush franchise after pursuing a decades-long ambition of operating their own storefront.

Three years later, they left the franchise behind, rebranding the business as Once Upon a Slush to better reflect their storytelling background and creative vision.

The couple also owns West Side Stories Petaluma, a production company that presents literary and storytelling events in the city.

In their farewell message, the owners reflected less on frozen treats than on the people who walked through the door.

They recalled hiring local teenagers for their first jobs, watching them earn driver's licenses, attend prom, graduate, leave for college, and return during summer breaks.

The couple remembered serving customers celebrating birthdays, victories, engagements, and even a wedding party that arrived still dressed in formal attire moments after saying, "I do."

The family also credited daughters Alexis and Miranda Pokorny for helping build the business. Alexis served for years as general manager, while Miranda later assumed the role and created the company's website, gift cards, promotional materials, and artwork.

The Pokornys said the shop survived extraordinary challenges almost from the beginning.

Only months after opening, the COVID-19 pandemic forced widespread business shutdowns. They said they continued adapting as operating expenses climbed sharply, writing that hourly wages had increased by more than 40 percent since opening while rent had risen by more than 200 percent.

"We won't pretend the last several years have been easy," they wrote. "Like every small business still standing downtown, we've weathered a lot of pivots."

The couple compared the experience to another venture they launched years earlier, the Wine Country Spoken Word Festival, which was disrupted twice by major wildfires.

Rather than disappear from the community, the Pokornys said they plan to remain active in Petaluma. They will continue producing West Side Stories Petaluma events, held on the second Wednesday of each month at the Polly Klaas Community Theater.

As of Tuesday no new tenant has been publicly identified.

Bittersweet

Customers quickly flooded social media with messages thanking the family for creating what many described as one of downtown's most welcoming gathering places.

"I'm loving reading all the message of love and gratitude here," one supporter wrote. "The Slush will be missed, but not you, the Pokornys. One of Petaluma's treasures."

Another customer thanked the owners "for all the happiness, deliciousness, and possible brain freezes you brought to Petaluma."

The Pokornys invited customers to visit before the final day, "or until we run out of slush and soft serve, whichever comes first."