BUSINESS OBSERVER

+ Sub Zero ice cream adds its own sweetness to the Key
Jill Sheeler-Shenk and her husband, Doug, never imagined they would own an ice-cream shop. The couple has lived all over the country and moved to Sarasota after Doug Shenk retired after 18 years as a civil engineer at an environmental consulting firm.

“We decided to do something completely different,” Jill Sheeler-Shenk says.

So, they opened up a franchise of Sub Zero Ice Cream, which was featured on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” Thursday, Jan. 18.

Customers don’t just get a tasty dessert but a show as well. Sub Zero Ice Cream uses liquid nitrogen, minus 321 degrees, to freeze desserts right in front of the customer’s eyes. Customers can choose their base — premium, custard or yogurt — as well as 42 flavors to mix and match. The base is frozen within a matter of minutes giving the treat a creamier, smoother texture.

“It looks cool and it’s as fresh as you can get it,” says Jill Sheeler-Shenk. The shop sells pies and shakes, too. It even has portable liquid nitrogen tanks it can take out to catering events and schools.

“We can incorporate the scientific part of liquid nitrogen into schools so kids can learn,” she explains. There are 22 Sub Zeros in the country, but the 219 Avenida Madera locations on Siesta Key is only the second one in Florida. Sub Zero on Siesta is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

+ Lobster Pot updates its menu with new lunch items
Come the second week of February, the Lobster Pot will offer an updated menu. The Medeiros family brought their New England tradition of seafood to Siesta Key. New menu items like the Lazy Duchess will let customers enjoy their New England-style dinner without any of the work or mess.

Customers will get more variety with new lunch items like Siesta Nachos which come with either shrimp, lobster, chicken or pulled pork. The New England Shrimp Roll is a spin off the popular Lobster Roll. Customers choose fried or blackened shrimp over a bed of lettuce and buttered roll. The Lobster Roll will now be offered for lunch, not just dinner.

Gluten-free items will also be easier to identify, and complimentary valet parking will be offered every day.

“We are not just an ordinary seafood place,” says owner, Tony Medeiros.

Lobster Pot is located at 5157 Ocean Blvd., Sarasota. Hours of operation are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Call 349-2323.