“It all began with a prayer by the Hollywood sign.” That’s probably true for millions of successful—and not so successful—wannabes in Los Angeles. This is a town where hope springs eternal when it comes to making it big.
In this case, that’s the story behind Millions of Milkshakes, a new concept scheduled to open soon in West Hollywood. It’s the brainchild of Sheeraz Hasan, a British expatriate who, at age 16 while still living in London, took over his family’s struggling cafe in 1991 and turned it into a Hollywood-theme, 24-hour diner called Tinseltown Café.
Now there are five Tinseltown Café locations in London, all of them serving a full menu, but among the concept’s top-selling items are the milk shakes.
Not satisfied with success in London, Hasan decided to conquer the real Tinseltown. He moved to Los Angeles and, according to his website, met an agent shortly after the aforementioned prayer at the Hollywood sign.
The agent eventually steered Hasan into the world of television. Hasan became the producer and host of “Tinseltown TV,” which focused on “spreading a message of spirituality” by asking stars in both Hollywood and Bollywood about their religious beliefs and spiritual lives. In 2005, Hasan launched
Meanwhile, Hasan says he never meant to stray from making milk shakes, so he’s returning to his blender. Millions of Milkshakes will offer 75 million potential combinations of ice cream, nonfat yogurt and soymilk as well as toppings, fruit or “shake ons.”
Toppings range from Lindt truffles, licorice, tamarind candy, pistachios and banana chips to fresh fruit, marshmallow cream and chili powder.
But don’t ask for fries with that shake, because there will be no food on the menu—unless you count the sundaes that could be made from the same ingredients unblended.
Hasan is toying with the idea of naming the shakes after celebrities, the dairy equivalent of getting a star in the sidewalk in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. So might a “Britney” shake be made with bubblegum ice cream topped with Cocoa Puffs?
Even before the soft opening here, however, Hasan has already signed an agreement to open several units in Dubai, and he envisions it as a brand that could be franchised around the world.
Hasan says his milk shakes are a hit in London, but blended drinks are not as likely to be as ubiquitous there as they are in the United States.
Still, there’s no underestimating our love for celebrities. Maybe a Britney shake is what the world needs right now.