Roux's Snoballs Offers Taste of New Orleans

At , the treats are made with ice and flavored syrup — the same ingredients for a snow cone.

But a snow cone a sno-ball is not, says Nicole Hair, who owns the New Tampa shop with husband, Mike.

“It’s finer than crushed ice,” she said of the sweet that’s so popular in the Big Easy. “The ice is shaved. It’s like snow; it melts in your mouth.”

Roux’s opened at Pebble Creek Plaza back in September. The business brings Hair back to her youth in New Orleans.

“This is what we grew up on,” she said of the sweet. “It’s a taste of home.”

Roux’s offers dozens of flavors plus toppings including condensed milk, cream, sour flavoring and marshmallow fluff. Sure, Roux's has the standards like grape and cherry, but customers can also select options such as wedding cake, tiger blood and café au lait. Prices range from $1.50 to $3.50 per serving.

After Hurricane Katrina, Hair’s family moved to Tampa. She and her husband — they both have a background in homeland security — then followed.

Hair said they were inspired to open Roux’s because there was only one other place to buy the New Orelans-style treat and because they thought it would be well-received due to the high number of transplants in the Bay Area. She was right.

“They find out about us and they drive,” she said of some customers. “Forty-five minutes, an hour.”

Roux’s is busiest after school and during the evenings, said the New Tampa resident, who is assisted at Roux’s by her husband; her father, Paw Paw; her children; and her sister and brother-in-law. She said the best part about operating your own business is getting to know your customers and partnering up with the local schools. 

Loyal customers are pretty common for Roux’s. First-time snowballers, too.

On Facebook, Jay Sherman wrote: “Came by tonight with my daughter and she loved it. She is always asking me about the things I ate when I was her age and tonight she got a little taste. Snowballs and Roman Candy! Can't wait to come back with the rest of the family.”

Hair said franchising could be in the future for Roux’s if all goes well.

“We would love to expand,” she said.

Roux’s is at 19651 Bruce B Downs Blvd. The shop can be contacted at 813-992-ROUX (7689) or by visiting www.rouxssnoballs.com on the Web.