Jr’s Treats Celebrates Grand Opening
New downtown snack shop offers ice cream, mini pancakes, Mexican street corn and more.
It all starts with sprinkles at Jr’s Treats, where customers are greeted by a rainbow of jimmies scattered across the walls, counter and menu boards, and a neon sign with a reminder to “Treat Yo Self.”
The new snack shop, which held its grand opening last Saturday, brings a pop of color to the storefront at 628 N. Water St., formerly home to The Coffee Bean.
“It was definitely rustic,” said Nerilyn Cruz-Colon, whose renovations infused the space with “a fun, colorful look.”
A mural by Leonard Lopez highlights some of the snack shop’s key offerings — ice cream, mini pancakes, elote — though its namesake, Cruz-Colon’s son, only has eyes for the toppings.
“His favorite thing on the menu? Sprinkles,” she said of the 2½-year-old. “He’ll take a bowl of sprinkles, and I’ll try to give him ice cream, but he’ll just shove it away.”
Guests will find much more than that at the snack shop, which offers sweets like ice cream (regular or dairy-free), mini pancakes and waffle bubble sticks — all available with more than 25 different toppings, from diced mango to marshmallow fluff.
On the savory side, Jr’s offers Mexican street corn, cheese fries, nachos, soft pretzel bites, hot dogs and chicken tenders. Breakfast items like avocado toast, bagels and yogurt parfaits are also available.
Beverages include smoothies, malts, milkshakes, hot tea, canned and bottled sodas and juices, Red Bull and drip coffee, with options to customize using flavored syrups and a choice of dairy or alternative milk.
The current menu has been well-received by early customers, and Cruz-Colon is already collecting feedback for potential future additions. That includes mini pizzas and walking tacos, plus more substantial fare like sandwiches and overnight oatmeal. Future plans also include an espresso program and housemade ice creams.
“Who knows, maybe someday I’ll have snack-sized burgers,” she said, noting that menu expansion is currently limited by the building’s lack of a full kitchen. But there’s a bright side to that.
“It makes us be creative in how we make things back here,” she said. “I feel like there’s a lot more room for us to grow.”
The ultimate goal, she added, is to offer something for everyone. “I want to make it a point in here to have everything be customizable, with different, fun combinations … so you can piece it together exactly how you want.”
Jr’s Treats is welcoming to kids, with interactive activities available on the walls near the counter. The business also offers lounge and dining areas, though guests are welcome to take their treats to-go.
Jr’s Treats is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to midnight Friday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
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