As Midland continues through an era of change, another business finds its way into the community. On Feb. 8, Tiki Pineapple opened its first Midland location on 1908 S. Saginaw Rd., replacing what was previously occupied by Yogurt Yeti. In addition, a second location will be opened in the Midland Mall late February as the brand’s first express location.
Founded by Michael Enderby and James Idzior, Tiki Pineapple is a specialty ice cream shop with a tropical theme. What makes Tiki Pineapple unique from other ice cream shops is its premium ice cream, Dole soft serve and Dole Whip. The ice cream is gluten free, fat free, and dairy free, suitable for those on a vegan diet.
“Midland was we felt an important market for us to get into,” Enderby said in an email interview. “Midland is a community we feel our brand fits perfectly into. Our healthier selections we felt would be welcomed into the community along with our very civic-minded culture. Midland is up and coming and [we] also felt the Midland Mall would be a good location for us to get our footprint into the other end of town with all the new progress happening there as well.”
To celebrate their Midland debut, Enderby and Idzior are planning to organize what they call their “Tiki Kickoff Party”. To be held in the spring, this event will have Hawaiian dances, face painting, free product samples, and a giveaway for a free birthday party. Enderby and Idzior try to be active in the areas they are located, supporting local organizations, sports teams, schools, churches, and more. Additionally, the company is also planning to collaborate with local organizations to become more environmentally friendly.
“We are in the process of going green and [it] is one of James’ pet projects,” Enderby said. “Although converting to this initiative is challenging we hope to have our company green by the middle of the year. We do look forward to sharing our experience and partnering with area organizations that share similar goals. We have looked at everything from our lighting, equipment, being paperless to the containers we use. It’s a process, but we’re making it happen.”
