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Following the news last month that Main Street Cup and Cone in Oakboro would be closing, residents of the town will not have to wait long before a similar business moves into the building at 325 N. Main St.

Merideth Hinchliffe, the daughter of Paul Hinchliffe, who opened all three Cup and Cone locations in Oakboro, Locust and Albemarle, will be the owner of Oakboro Sweet Spot. The business plans to open at the beginning of next month, though a specific date has yet not been finalized.

“I’m trying to get it open as quickly as possible because I know people miss the ice cream,” she said.

Oakboro Cup and Cone, which was the first location to open in 2019 and was managed by Merideth’s older sister Kayla, had been struggling of late before the decision was made to close it, Merideth said.

Merideth, 24, was in charge of the first Oakboro location for more than a year before managing the Albemarle location, once it opened in 2021. The Albemarle location posted on Facebook last month that the Hinchliffe family would be stepping away but that new owners would take over under the new name of Cup and Cone.

The only Main Street Cup and Cone location that is still being run by the Hinchliffe family is the spot in Locust, which has been doing well, Merideth said.

“I’m really excited that I have another opportunity to take what I learned running Main Street Cup and Cone,” Merideth said, noting Kayla will work with her. “I’m hoping that everybody will just give me a chance to really bring something fun and sweet to Oakboro because I think it needs it.”

Unlike its predecessor, Oakboro Sweet Spot will not have coffee, though it will feature 32 flavors of ice cream.

Aside from the ice cream, the business will feature milkshakes, cotton candy, candy apples, 10 types of sno cones and an assortment of candy that people can put into bags. Oakboro Sweet Spot also will likely have beef jerky, “which is completely different but we think every sweet needs a salty,” Merideth said.

She is hopeful that customers of Cup and Cone will take the time to check out the new business.

“I remember all the people I used to see that came into the first Cup and Cone,” Merideth said. “I’m hoping to see everybody again coming to the Sweet Spot because I love the locals here.”