Jay's Project

 Jay's always had a dream of owning a Hawaiian Ice business. Every time he would taste the sticky sweet goodness he'd bring up his business idea again. Around the first of the year he started getting a little more serious about this idea. He just happened onto the deal of the century on e-bay around January 11. After kicking the idea around and talking to Alven, the guy who had it for sell, Jay decided to bid on it. On Sunday, January 17 we had a stressful moment at our house. Jay was intently watching the bidding process for the beauty below. Unfortunately Jay was out bid by just a few dollars. Alven called to see if it was Jay who won. Jay told him it wasn't, but if something fell through with the sell to let him know. Jay was pretty disappointed over the next 24 hours. Then his life changed - on Tuesday, January 19 he got a phone call from Alven. The buyer couldn't get all the money together, he wanted to know if we were interested. That next weekend Jay and I made the 14 hour round trip journey to Champaign, Illinois to look over the trailer and purchase it.


We also got to meet one of the highest energy individuals we've ever seen. Alven gave us about an hour long crash course in how to operate your Hawaiian Ice business. He was spouting off instructions right and left. I was trying to write them down. It was a lot of information all at once! Alven was selling the trailer because his business was so good he opened a store front for the Hawaiian Ice. He also owns his own popcorn business where he sells gourmet popcorn. He was a very interesting man.

Once we got the trailer home Jay started working it over some. Structurally it was good, cosmetically not so good. Since our favorite color is red we decided to re-paint it. Jay also had to do some work on the floor so he put down new black tile. There are also a few other changes we had to make to get it in line with the Missouri Heath Department Codes. I guess in Illinois they don't have flies because Alven wasn't required to have a sliding screen. Those crazy Illinois laws are still haunting us.....

I'm learning how to become the master mixer of Hawaiian Ice flavors. I mixed up a couple of batches a few weeks ago and those turned out great. Tuesday night I tried out the rest of the flavors and that didn't turn out great. I'm going to toss them and start over. I tried doing it the way Alven told us he did it. Apparently that works for Hawaiian Ice Masters and not novices. I think I need more experience before I try it his way again.  That night Jay shaved some ice and we tried a bite full of all the flavors.  Some day if we become diabetic we'll probably blame it on this business venture.  You add 2 3/4 cups of sugar to 2 quarts of water.  Talk about a sugar rush!

Alven has called Jay a couple of times about some events in Illinois. I think he wants us to come because we could help each other out...his salty popcorn would draw in the customers for us. He is going to get back to us once he has more information. We have also got some events lined up for May and June. This should be an interesting summer for us. I think once we make our first million I'll quit my job and start selling it full time!!

Oh, just so you'll know we are selling Hawaiian Ice...not icees, not snow cones, it's a Hawaiian Ice trailer. There is a distinct difference according to Alven. With Hawaiian Ice you get a light fluffy product that has good flavor all the way through. So those of you who didn't know the difference - now you do!!!

Before pictures.  I wish I had gotten some inside pictures, but I don't think I did.










Here is the finished product.  Once we get the inside finished and cleaned up I'll post some of those pictures.



If anyone can think of a good name let me know.  I'll give you free drinks for a year!!!