Bluffton's Pino Gelato and Lovin' Spoons now closed

The end of summer usually brings the end of cold treats and the onset of certain, unnamed fall beverages at a certain, unnamed national coffee chain.

In the Lowcountry, though, there's summer, late summer, summerish fall, a whisper of winter, then spring. You can enjoy your ice cream or gelato or frozen yogurt or sorbet all year long.

But in the past three weeks, two Bluffton frozen treat spots have closed: Lovin' Spoons in Belfair Towne Village and Pino Gelato in Bridge Center.

Lovin' Spoons founder Diane Kahn declined comment on why her Bluffton pay-by-weight frozen yogurt shop closed, but said its last day of operation was Aug. 2. She also operates two Lovin' Spoons stores in Savannah and Pooler, Ga., both of which are still open.

About two years ago, you couldn't escape self-serve fro-yo shops -- plastic stools in zany colors, dozens of toppings, and a mix of standard and slightly off-putting yogurt flavors. They usually had a cutesy name (Go Bananaz, Swirlz, Berry Cool) and on hot summer days, lines went out the door.

But now they're moving out.

Lovin' Spoons joins Josie's Frozen Yogurt, formerly at 1019 Fording Island Road, in recently closed Bluffton fro-yo businesses, which means no self-serve frozen-yogurt businesses remain in town. Customers will have to make the long, arduous journey to Hilton Head Island to satiate a frozen yogurt craving.

You also won't be able to stop at Pino Gelato in Bridge Center on the way anymore -- owner Attila Malaczko closed it Wednesday.

Pino Gelato, based on Hilton Head with locations across the Southeast, primarily features gelato, but its menus also include milkshakes, smoothies, coffee, pastries, crepes and pizza cones.

Malaczko said there wasn't enough support locally for the European-style gelato cafe. He has operated the Bridge Center location for three years.

He blamed the local "mentality" for the lack of customers.

"Locals want to go to the bar to watch football games and eat onion rings rather than sit and drink coffee at a cafe," Malaczko said.

Follow reporter Ashley Fahey at twitter.com/IPBG_Ashley.

Related content:

• Hickory Tavern to move into former Fuddruckers on Hilton Head , Aug. 20, 2015
• Fine dining restaurant, raw bar headed to Old Town Bluffton , August 13, 2015
• Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant coming to Hilton Head , July 30, 2015

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 5:41 PM with the headline "Bluffton's Pino Gelato and Lovin' Spoons now closed."