Written by Lucia Winkler
It’s almost as if Edgar Allan Poe has opened a dessert shop.
Vampire Penguin, a chain hailing from Sacramento, has recently gained popularity in Florida. This success can undoubtedly be attributed to its shaved snow, a unique treat that is an in-between of ice cream and shaved ice. The texture is creamy and soft, but also made of icy shavings as a snow cone would be. It is no secret that cold foods tend to be favored in the Sunshine State, and uncommon alternatives to its traditional tastes are taking off. Various stores have popped up throughout Florida, and each has a charming atmosphere.
The locations are independently owned, so there is creative freedom with their design. Lakeland, though, breaks away from the cutesy feel of Florida’s other Vampire Penguin restaurants. “I asked ‘what is everyone else doing’ and then did the opposite,” founder Natalie Leonard quipped, “I wanted our Vampire Penguin to feel like stepping out of the ordinary for just a moment.”
The outside window reads, “Vampire Penguin: bookish dessert café.” Upon entering the shop, a visitor would be struck by its gothic mood. The lighting is dark but strangely inviting, illuminated by flickering candles. Books upon books adorn the space, making sense of the window’s description. Still life paintings of warm flowers are not bound to their gilded frames, but matched in antique vases.
Menus add a humorous touch: all the dessert titles put a spin on classic literature books and authors. These names belong solely to the Lakeland restaurant.
After the Leonard family had tried the shaved snow at another Vampire Penguin location, they decided together to introduce one in Lakeland. The vision unfolded quickly. Their hopes of a downtown store were made true when Gents, a local barbershop, decided to relocate. The shop is now in its third month, having opened in December.
Lakeland’s Vampire Penguin is a great place for book lovers to gather. Even more so, it welcomes all Lakelanders to an academic setting to enjoy an eccentric treat. The appeal of the shop and its literary ambiance is that it invites customers to crack open a novel - or even write themselves.