AIKEN — Work has begun on the Southside to turn a former barbershop into an ice cream business.

Stone Cold Creamery’s first location here will be in the shopping center that Target anchors on Whiskey Road.

J.D. Gaskins Construction of Aiken is the general contractor for the renovation project.

Cold Stone Creamery will be next to Lendmark Financial Services in a space that most recently was the home of Brown’s Barbershop.

“We’ve started the demo on the existing barbershop and we’re getting everything cleared out of there,” said Gaskin Construction’s president, J.D. Gaskins, in an Oct. 27 telephone interview.

When asked when the refurbishment would be completed, he replied, “We’re going to shoot for early spring of next year.”

Donald and Susan Sutherland founded Cold Stone Creamery in 1988 in Tempe, Arizona. Their goal was to create a smooth, super-premium ice cream with a high butterfat content.

Now headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Cold Stone Creamery is owned by Kahala Brands, a franchising company with a portfolio of nearly 30 fast-casual and quick service restaurant brands.

There are nearly 1,500 Cold Stone Creamery locations in approximately 30 countries.

Cold Stone Creamery’s customers can ask for their ice cream to be mixed with candy, fruit, nuts or cake on a frozen granite stone, according coldstonecreamery.com.

Also on the menu at Cold Stone Creamery shops are milkshakes, smoothies, ice cream cookie sandwiches, ice cream cupcakes and ice cream cakes.

Ice cream pies are available at select locations.

In addition, Cold Stone Creamery shops offer a plant-based chocolate frozen dessert option and shakes made with that product.

There is a Cold Stone Creamery at 1223 Knox Ave. in North Augusta.

J.D. Gaskins Construction’s other projects include a fishing pier at Langley Pond Park.