North Myrtle Beach ice cream shop goes viral on TikTok. Here’s how they make their treats

Debbie Serra has been known for her dessert creations at her North Myrtle Beach ice cream shop for years.

But now, thanks to her daughter’s TikTok ice cream videos, Mr. G’s Ice Cream & Grill, 310 17th Ave. S. is known across the country.

Serra’s daughter, Bianca Serra, began making the TikTok videos last year, using commenters’ suggestions about what flavors to use. The flavors are based on different colors, such as red, blue, purple, and even chocolate.

The video for a blue raspberry-dipped cone received more than 80 million views.

“I’ve been looking at superstars and movies stars’ (TikTok videos) and they don’t even get that much,” Debbie said.

Other videos also reached into the millions. There’s the “red” cone that includes red sprinkles, gummy bears, M&Ms, cherries, strawberry ice cream, flavoring that includes tutti fruitti and berry into soft serve and then topped with red Sour Patch Kids candy. That video received 30 million views.

A “brown” cone includes chocolate sprinkles, M&Ms, chocolate chips, brownie crumbles, chocolate sauce, chocolate ice cream, chocolate soft serve and topped with three Pocky sticks. It received 31 million views.

“It just blew out of control,” Debbie said. “People came to my (restaurant) window with their phones” because of the TikTok videos.

Bianca has begun the TikTok videos again this summer. She is going to college for nursing and spends the summer, when she has the time, making the videos. It takes her about a half day to create the videos, which includes hand-picking all of the colors from the candies, filming, and editing.

It has turned out to be a good side hustle for the 24-year-old as she made $21,400 in 2023 from the videos. Bianca used it to help pay for college.

“We’ve just been trial and error,” Bianca said about making the desserts. “The cones really stuck.”

Bianca said that people will travel for hours to the shop after seeing the videos to get the ice cream cones.

Debbie has now begun a new dessert called Dipped by Debbie’s. It’s dipped strawberries in such flavors as cookie butter, strawberry shortcake, cotton candy, chocolate, and Fruity Pebbles cereal. The cereal is Debbie’s favorite.

She got the idea when she lived in Hawaii. Both Debbie and her husband, Felix, are Army veterans. Felix retired as a master sergeant after 28 years. They have three children, Victoria, Bianca and Antonio.

Debbie often creates new creations at the shop she owns with her husband, who usually operates the grill. The menu includes hot dogs, burgers, chicken fingers, and fries. Slushies and frozen bananas are also available, including Debbie’s Banana Pajama, which stemmed from her cravings while she was pregnant.

It’s a family-operated business. She bought it from her aunt and uncle, whose last name is Gattis, and started it 57 years ago.

During the summer season, a line snakes down the sidewalk waiting to be served. Debbie said it took about three hours to serve customers on a recent Friday. “They don’t get out of line,” she said.

While the ice cream flavors are not on the menu, people can request any of the creations they see on the TikTok videos, Debbie said. Different candies, cakes and other items used for the desserts line the shelves and in the refrigerators of the shop.

And while Bianca and Debbie are trying this summer to feature different creations offered at the shop, the cones aren’t going away.

“People really love the ice cream,” Bianca said.