Homewood ice cream shop debuts from creator of Hero Doughnuts
The opening comes only a few days after Wil Drake reopened his previous venture, Hero Doughnuts" under another name.
Chloe Mitchell 
It has been a whirlwind week for Wil Drake. Just days after successfully relaunching his original doughnut shop under the new name Full Circle, Drake is already pushing forward with his latest culinary project.
New Shoes Opens in Homewood
The newcomer, a soft serve ice cream parlor dubbed New Shoes, is officially set to open its doors at noon this Thursday. Located at 2856 18th St. S., Suite A, the shop made its excitement clear in a social media update on Wednesday: “See you jokers at NOON SHARP tomorrow. LETS GO. We can’t wait see yall!!”
A Fresh Chapter
Drake’s shift toward new ventures comes on the heels of major industry shifts in Birmingham. Drake, who originally co-founded the beloved Hero Doughnuts & Buns in 2016 alongside photographer Jason Wallis, saw the brand grow from its first brick-and-mortar location in Homewood into a regional chain. Much of that expansion was supported by the Pihakis Restaurant Group, which has partnered with local chefs on notable spots like Little Donkey, Joyland, and Rodney Scott’s BBQ.
Following a rebranding to Hero Diner, the concept grew across several states, though both Wallis and Drake eventually moved on—Wallis in 2024 and Drake in February 2026, as noted on his Instagram page. Wallis’s departure was also reflected on his LinkedIn profile.
Navigating Industry Turbulence
The restaurant landscape in Alabama saw significant contraction in April 2026 as Hero Diner began closing its locations. By the end of that month, the chain had shuttered all its restaurants in the state. This followed Pihakis Restaurant Group closing more than a dozen restaurants while contending with substantial lawsuits and liens totaling over $12.6 million. While some Pihakis-affiliated restaurants have found a path forward under new ownership, others remain in limbo.
Drake has focused his energy on reclaiming his roots. In early May, he announced plans to reboot the original Homewood flagship as Full Circle Doughnuts. On the official website for the reboot, Drake expressed his commitment to restoring the shop to “the way it should have stayed.”
