There's an occupational hazard when you park an ice-cream truck in your driveway, as Julie Ramsey and her family recently found out. Everyone who drives by wants to know when they can get some of the frozen treats.
The answer is "now." MAR's Delights - the letters stand for Mom & Abby Ramsey - is open for business. The ice-cream truck is named for Julie and her daughter, who plan to operate it throughout neighborhoods near their Elizabethtown home as well as into Mount Joy. It's a family affair for the Ramseys, as dad Greg and brother Matt also help with the business.
Owning an ice-cream truck has been a longtime goal for Julie. "This is something I've wanted to do for over 20 years," she said. "The last few years, I started seriously thinking about it, and finally I thought, 'I'm going to do it.'"
She knew just who to recruit for help. "She walked into my room and said, 'Do you want to be my business partner?'" recalled Abby, of the conversation she had with her mother a few months ago. "She has wanted to do this for so long, and I thought it would be even more special if I did it with her."
The Ramseys purchased the truck in January and spent the first quarter of the year turning the former tailgating truck into an ice-cream confectionery on wheels. All four Ramseys put in hands-on work on the renovations, and Julie especially credits her brother, Don Stoltz, with being instrumental in the truck's transformation. Abby created the company's logo of two ice-cream treats in a flying saucer.
Operating an ice-cream truck required a lot of hands-on learning, from finding the perfect vendors to figuring out how to keep the treats cold when the truck is not in operation. "This is our first shot at being entrepreneurs," noted Julie, who, along with Abby, has another full-time day job. MAR's Delights plans to operate every evening that the weather cooperates throughout the summer, along with participating in special events during the day.
At first, Greg was hesitant when his wife proposed the idea of the ice-cream truck, but he soon got on board. "I had a few sleepless nights, wondering how this was all going to work, but I also came up with my own ideas and I got into it," he said. One of Greg's suggestions? Selling a treat he enjoyed as a kid - vanilla and chocolate ice-cream cups complete with wooden spoons. Along with treats for humans, MAR's Delights will sell Frosty Paws ice-cream treats for dogs. The truck will operate on a cash-only basis.
As she prepares to see a longtime dream come true, Julie said she hopes the ice-cream truck will bring smiles to the faces of everyone who encounters it. "I love the nostalgia of an ice-cream truck," she stated. "Older people remember it from their neighborhoods, and it can be the start of creating new memories for the next generation."
For more information, search for "MAR's Delights" on Facebook.
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