Hawaii’s beloved Coconut Glen’s ice cream makes its way to Folly Beach
by Hanalei Potempa | Contributing Writer
You used to have to travel all the way to Hawaii or Japan to get a taste of Coconut Glen’s famous coconut ice cream. But now, a little scoop of paradise has landed right here on Folly Beach.
After graduating from culinary school in 2006, Glen Simkins got tired of the hustle and bustle of working as a high-end chef in Boston and set up shop in an old Volkswagen bus on the Road to Hana in Maui. Simkins started by selling coconuts on the side of the road before spearheading his authentic coconut-based ice cream recipe.
Locals began referring to Simkins as “Coconut Glen,” and soon enough, his sky-high dreams paired with a simple “Honk if you’re hungry” sign turned his roadside stop into one of the “best ice cream shops in the world,” as deemed by Conde Nast Traveler.
Tragically, Simkins unexpectedly passed away in January. His sister, Lauren Caserta, owner of Coconut Glen’s, is determined to keep his legacy alive and continue serving this magical ice cream to the public.
After running the original Coconut Glen’s location in Maui for the past few years, Caserta was eager to move somewhere new and bring the one-of-a-kind ice cream along with her. After considering many places, she finally stumbled across the small barrier island of Folly Beach, along the coast of South Carolina. Coconut Glen’s has set up their funky and fun ice cream truck at 105 E. Artic Ave., across the street from the Edwin S. Taylor Folly Beach Fishing Pier in the parking lot next to Rita’s Seaside Grille.
“It’s the perfect location, it’s got a very Hawaiian feel,” she says. “It’s very laid back. People walk around in their bathing suits. Like, it’s not glamorous, you know, it’s just super chill. And that’s what Hawaii is like.”
All of the ice cream is made from coconut milk, which makes all their many flavors vegan, gluten free, and organic.
Caserta shared that the shop uses only fresh ingredients like real coconuts, pineapples, bananas, and vanilla beans, with no added artificial flavors or preservatives.
“Everything is fresh, and it’s also two-thirds less sugar than regular ice cream, because the coconut milk has a nice sweetness to it,” Caserta says.
The menu offers a wide range of flavors, offering classic vanilla and chocolate to more unique flavors such as pistachio and pineapple-banana, and many more. Caserta shared that the original coconut flavor is still a fan favorite, though the passion fruit flavor, Lilikoi, also gets lots of love from customers.
Caserta has already added a new peach flavor of ice cream to the menu and has a lot of big plans in store for Folly’s newest ice cream spot, including the possibility of adding ice cream sandwiches or lemonade to the menu in the future.
Though Coconut Glen’s is expanding outside of Maui, the brand remains rooted in the magic of where it all started — a little VW bus on the Road to Hana.
“It’s in the middle of nowhere. You’re in the jungle, it’s beautiful. There’s water, there’s like seven or eight waterfalls on the road, and eucalyptus trees, which are like rainbow colored trees, and you know, it’s just beautiful —it’s Hawaii.”
Maui may be oceans away, but now a taste of that tropical magic is open to customers right here on Folly Beach.
Coconut Glen’s is open daily from noon until 8 p.m. It’s located at 105 E. Arctic Ave. For more information, call (808) 248-4876 or visit www.coconutglens.com.
