Gourmet ice cream sandwich shop, The Baked Bear, opening in South Lake Tahoe

Named one of the trendiest restaurants to try by Business Insider, The Baked Bear is opening their third location in the Reno-Tahoe area in March.

What is the Baked Bear you ask?

Started by two friends in San Diego, The Baked Bear, which provides custom ice cream sandwiches, is quickly moving into cities in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, Nevada, Utah, as well as other locations in California including Petco Park, home of the Padres.

And now they'll be in South Lake Tahoe.

Justin Lippold is preparing to open his third location after getting one off the ground in Sparks, Nev. in September, 2016, followed by his second location in Reno which opened in December. Lippold is aiming for March 4, 2017 to have South Lake Tahoe open and ready to please. He has recreated the old real estate and brokerage company on the second floor above Heavenly Sports in Cecil's Plaza in between Heavenly Village and Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel.

As you enter Lippold's newest location, you'll be greeted by cookies freshly baked daily as well as donuts and brownies. While that is scrumptious enough, there are more stops as you walk along the ice cream sandwich assembly line. At this point you choose your custom ice cream flavor from a menu that includes Strawberry Shortcake with real shortcake inside, Bear Batter, Salted Caramel Fudge, Butter Pecan and Birthday Cake.

The third stop, yes there is still more, is where you make your choice of toppings from almonds to hot fudge and all points in between. There is also an optional fourth stop on your sweet trail. There they have a special ice cream sandwich press that warms up the cookie panini-style that doesn't melt the ice cream.

Have allergies? No worries. There will be gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and a soy ice cream for those who are lactose-intolerant. These cookies will be the only ones that aren't baked daily as they are prepared in specialty kitchens.

Also on the menu are ice cream cones, root beer floats, hot fudge sundaes and the Bear Bowl, a warm chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of ice cream.

A special free event will occur at the South Lake Tahoe location's grand opening. When Lippold opened his Sparks location they announced the first two hours would be free ice cream sandwiches, and there were 300 people in line by the time they opened their doors. He isn't sure what the free special will be yet in Tahoe, but it could be the first 200 people in the door get free, or even the first two hours....to find out one must find out on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thebakedbearofsouthlaketahoe./

Lippold moved to Reno when he started the area's first trampoline park. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to buying the Baked Bear franchises after the success of E Z Air Indoor Trampoline Park and Laser Tag Arena.

"I look for fun, creative, new things people haven’t seen before," said Lippold. "Things that put smiles on their faces."

He wasn't always in the ice cream and trampoline business though. Once he graduated from New Mexico State with a degree in marketing, Justin worked in the golf industry and gave 600 private lessons a year. His dad was a big proponent of start-ups after he was involved in a high tech startup in the San Jose, Calif., area and put the entrepreneurial spirit in his children.

The Baked Bear will be involved in local fundraising with portions of sales going to South Lake Tahoe area schools and other groups. Lippold's sister-in-law is managing the store and will be available to work with nonprofits once open. They have already hired 80 percent of their staff but will be looking for a few more. If interested, contact them at reno@thebakedbear.com.

Hours have not been set as of yet, but Lippold said they are looking at a set of winter hours noon to 10 p.m., and summer having extended times.

This won't be the only treat on the second floor of the building that faces Highway 50 and The Chateau. A crepe place will soon be opening two doors down.