She opened Rollie’s Frozen Custard with her husband, Arthur Wilson, in February 2019. The couple hails from Illinois, and when they moved to Pearland, they looked for a frozen custard place they liked as much as one back home. When they could not find what they were looking for, they opened Rollie’s.
Rollie’s Frozen Custard serves chocolate and vanilla custard every day, as well as two specialty flavors a day. The business also has mix-ins for the custard, malts and shakes. Once or twice a week, the Wilsons make a batch of Italian ice as well, Brenda said.
“We make the custard fresh, in-house, every day,” Brenda said.
Frozen custard differs from ice cream because it is primarily made with egg yolks rather than milk. This makes it richer and more enjoyable for those who are lactose intolerant, Brenda said. Frozen custard also uses less sugar and has fewer calories, she said.
Prior to running a frozen custard shop, Brenda was the head of human resources at a corporation, and Arthur was an executive with UPS Inc.
“Our customers say, ‘That explains the good customer service,’” Brenda said.
The business has been received well in the Pearland community, Brenda said, attributing it to the community service done by the business. Rollie’s has volunteered at churches and at Alvin and Pearland ISDs and has donated money to both the local Little League and a nonprofit that helps make playgrounds accessible to children of all abilities.
Rollie’s also has a mobile unit, which it is able to use for dessert events. This has become an especially popular option over the pandemic and has helped teach people about the business in other parts of Pearland. The Wilsons hope to add a second mobile unit soon, along with a new location on the east side of Pearland or in Friendswood later this year.
“If it doesn’t happen this year, maybe next year,” Brenda said.
