New shop set to 'shake' up Rochdale

Photo: Paul Finnerty

Shop owner, Michaela Fernandez, making a milkshake at the new shop in The Walk

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Rochdale town centre has had a real shake-up after the opening of a milkshake store with a difference.

John Fernandez, 32, and his wife Michaela, 36, both from Rochdale, deal in a special type of shake that is bound to get the taste buds racing. Their drinks in '2 Shakes' are a mix of ice cream, milk and each and every chocolate bar, biscuit, cake and sweets brand you can think of.

Shakes range from old favourites such as Cadbury’s Curly Wurly and Galaxy to sweet mixes of Haribo Fried Eggs and Skittles. Others include Jaffa Cake, Battenburg and Terry’s Chocolate Orange flavours.

According to John, despite a huge choice of over 100 shakes on the menu, certain ones are proving more popular than others.

“People like Ferrero Rocher, Mint Aero and Malteser shakes. But they also like the healthy ones, which use fruit and low fat milk and ice cream.

They also sell coffee and muffins in what they call “the easiest job we’ve ever done”.

“We had a sweet shop in Castleton but the location wasn’t right,” says John. “We stumbled upon the idea. There are a few in Manchester. It’s big in Australia and has also caught on down South. We saw one in Brighton and thought it was a good idea.

“People are surprised. Office workers come in for something different.”

The couple will have a stand at the Rochdale Feel Good Festival and are also considering applying for a weekend licence to sell alcoholic shakes.

The premises on The Walk has been transformed from a phone shop and opened last Thursday (3 June 2010).

“We sold over 100 shakes on launch day and 324 in total since then. A group of girls who work round the corner are crossing off the shakes on a list as they go,” adds John.

Robin Finc, a junior stylist who works opposite to 2 Shakes, is impressed with the new idea, she said: “They’re amazing. They’re very simple and it’s been very busy. I like the Ferrero Rocher and chocolate sauce one. There are not a lot of things like it, especially in Rochdale. The owners are really friendly and everyone here likes it.”

As he took a shake-to-go, another customer said: “I like it. It’s a good idea and will be very popular. There’ll be a lot of call for it. Kids will love it.”

2 Shakes is open from 10am-5pm from Mondays to Saturdays and is on The Walk, Rochdale town centre.