Cold Stone Creamery remains consistent with positioning stores in locations that help promote the brand. Before signing a franchisee's proposed site, area developers must approve the location in accordance to standards set out by the company.

"We evaluate the potential locations and have minimum requirements such as population and the like," Kevin Donnellan, Cold Stone Creamery's public relations director, tells GlobeSt.com. "We definitely like to position ourselves around other restaurants and entertainment venues; we find our greatest success in centers where other national retailers are."

Ideally, a site will include 1,200 sf of retail space; a population of 15,000 within on mile; an average consumer age of 18- to 36-years-old; and a household income of $35,000 or higher in the immediate area. Yet Cold Stone Creamerys are often found nestled into the landscape of a lifestyle center, where neighbors are high-end retailers and the average income of the population is no less than $50,000. To the benefit of Cold Stone Creamery's demographic strategy, these destination retail centers are also seeing a surge of development.

"We're doing everything to keep up demand--not only with ice cream but with franchise aspect of the business," Donnellan says of the rapid expansion. "Ice cream is a great business to be in because people are innately attracted to it."