Raising Canes, yogurt and sorbet shops among new Poway businesses in 2025

Frozen yogurt, sorbet and hand-battered chicken fingers are among the offerings at three businesses that opened in Poway in 2025.

And on the healthcare side, Sharp HospiceCare opened its $6.6 million Moore MountainView Hospice Home in Poway.

The Willy Wonka-inspired Gelato Sweet Spot, a 2,000-square-foot, pink-filled store that offers self-serve frozen yogurt, a cereal bar and candy shop opened Aug. 30 at 13140 Poway Road.

George Sadler, founder and owner of Sweet Spot, said he and his family love frozen yogurt and often visit frozen yogurt shops. But he thought the ‘experiential’ side of the shops was lacking.

“I wanted to create a place that’s fun, interactive and keeps both kids and parents entertained,” Sadler said.

The flagship store has a menu of 36 frozen yogurt toppings, a variety of international snacks and drinks, bulk bins of gummy candy and a cereal bar. 

Other features include a photo booth area, kid-friendly seating, hard-to-find international snacks and whimsical decor.

After a decade of selling sorbets at the Poway Farmers Market, So Cal Famous Beach Ice opened its first retail outlet in Poway on July 6.

The shop, at 13538 Poway Road, Suite D, offers gourmet sorbets, granitas, Italian ice, Philadelphia water ice and vegan ice creams.

Owners Scott and Alejandra Strickland said they make about 40 flavors of sorbet but sell 32 flavors at any one time.

“We’re excited to be here,” Scott Strickland said at the July 2 ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We’ve pounded the street at the farmer’s market for 10 years so this is a dream come true.”

The much-anticipated Raising Cane’s Restaurant opened July 22 at 12665 Poway Road near Silver Lake Drive.

Menu items include hand-battered chicken fingers, Cane’s sauce, crinkle-cut fries, buttery Cane’s toast and coleslaw. Beverages include lemonade, sweet and unsweetened tea, and fountain drinks.

“We’ve been proud members of the San Diego area for the past seven years, and we’re continually amazed by the overwhelmingly positive response,” Area Leader of Restaurants Mark Condello said before the opening. “Opening in Poway is a natural next step as we continue to grow across the region.”

Sharp HospiceCare’s 6,170-square-foot Moore MountainView Hospice Home, which opened June 23, has six private patient rooms, a family room, kitchen, nurses’ station and outdoor gardens.

The home offers 24/7 specialized medical and nursing care for patients experiencing pain or symptom crises in addition to short-term respite care for families in need of temporary support, according to Sharp HospiceCare, which provides end-of-life support for patients and their families.

The not-for-profit health care provider held a grand opening for the facility at 16752 Valle Verde Road near Espola Road.

Suzi K. Johnson, vice president of hospice and palliative care at Sharp HospiceCare, thanked the crowd of more than 200 local leaders, health care professionals and supporters for “believing in the mission and purpose of Sharp HospiceCare.”

“When you take a moment to walk through the home, and especially through the gardens, you’ll see that every detail was created to offer patients and families a sense of refuge,” Johnson said. 

A new Five Below store that sells a variety of items priced mostly between $1 and $5 opened in Poway on May 9 in the Poway City Centre, 13644 Poway Road.

Merchandise includes candy and snacks, beauty supplies, tech devices and home decor. Customers can shop for a wide assortment of products in the categories of Style, Room, Sports, Tech, Create, Party, Candy and New & Now.

The store’s Party Shop features a variety of helium balloons, decor and party favors.

Although most of the products cost $5 or less, the store also offers a selection of items priced above $5.

The self-serve Genie Car Wash opened April 21 in Poway’s Twin Peaks Plaza. It is located near Target and Outback Steakhouse at 14713 Pomerado Road.

Genie offers three wash levels with options for waxes, sealants, wheel cleaning, tire dressing, and high-pressure rinses that are provided in state-of-the-art wash tunnels. Access to vacuum stalls and clean microfiber towels is included with each wash, said Bianca Morris, marketing director for the company.