Chelsea and Logan Green both grew up in entrepreneurial families, Logan’s in electrical contracting and Chelsea’s proprietors of a convenience store, and they both worked in the family business. Chelsea branched out early, while she was still in college. She and her mother opened an ice cream shop. There, Chelsea found an outlet for her natural creativity, concocting the most fabulous milkshakes ever seen. Once she started, the ideas flowed from her, then from her employees, and eventually from her customers. From there, the idea for The Yard Milkshake Bar was hatched, and Chelsea and Logan opened their first shop in their hometown of Gulf Shores, Alabama, in May 2017.
With Chelsea’s education in marketing at the University of South Alabama and her social media savvy, they launched The Yard on Instagram and Facebook. A big crowd arrived for opening day. The next day, twice as many customers showed up. On day 3, the line snaked out the door.
The Yard has a relaxed atmosphere with the décor “farmhouse chic,” white paint and rustic wood. Logan built the tables and benches and installed the flooring. The “drill” is casual also. Go in and pick up a menu and pen. Mark your choices on the menu, whether you want to build your own milkshake or order one of their specialty shakes. Hand in the menu at the register, get your number, chill out and get yourself ready for outrageously large and delightfully decadent milkshake served in a souvenir Mason jar that will be coming your way shortly.
Make sure you get that selfie of you and your shake in front of the popular lighted “The Yard” sign to post online.
Not up for that? You can enjoy a regular milkshake or hand-dipped cones, floats or just good old-fashioned bowls of ice cream.
The Yard gives you an incredible selection: 28 flavors of ice cream, 9 types of cookie dough and 56 toppings. The ordinary toppings are there: sprinkles, chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, nuts and whipped cream, but so are the extraordinary ones: cereal crunches, fruit loops, frosted animal crackers, cotton candy, candy bars, sour straws and, for gosh sake, chocolate-dipped bacon!
And there are the eye-popping ones: doughnuts, waffles, cup cakes, brownies, s’mores and cheesecake.
Examples of the specialty shakes include:
- The Mermaid: Birthday Cake ice cream topped with sea-foam green whipped cream, marshmallow and an iridescent blue chocolate mermaid tail. Comes with a crystal swizzle stick.
- The Unicorn: Magical Unicorn ice cream topped with a giant cloud of whipped cream, a wisp of blue cotton candy and a strip of sour rainbow candy tape.
- The Old School Banana Split: Banana Pudding ice cream and Strawberry ice cream topped with whipped cream, strawberry topping, a banana, peanuts, fudge drizzle and a cherry on top.
Chelsea and Logan continue to innovate. They have gluten-free options on the menu and no-sugar-added Moosetracks ice cream and the Monkey Meets the Moose specialty shake. Dairy-free items include a fruit punch specialty shake; raspberry sorbet; lemonade, mango and watermelon ice; and coconut whipped topping.
On a cold winter’s day, what sounds cozier than a hot chocolate milkshake? Peppermint Moosetracks, Hot Chocolate with Elvis (banana pudding and peanut butter) and Cinnamon Pecan Swirl are among the offerings.
The Yard is expanding. There are two bars in Alabama, one in Florida and one in Texas, and the franchising is just beginning with two bars in Mississippi.
