IN THE ❤ OF BELMONT
It's our 21st Anniversary this year!!
Years ago, I was working a corporate America job. Although I liked the job, I didn't particularly
care for my boss. Bob and I drove past the future site of Trailside Treats every day, and we
started talking about what I'd love to do instead. I said, "I'd love to buy that house, knock it down
and build an ice cream store." We tossed it around for a while, made some phone calls, did some
dreaming. Then Bob called me at work with a name for the business, and that was it.
Once we named it, we were all in!
Of course, it wasn't that easy. We had a lot of help from friends, from demo,
cement work, construction, framing, roofing, painting, landscaping, childcare and just
a shoulder to cry on. Too many to list! And we couldn't have done it without them.
We love the Belmont community.
You watched us build and waited impatiently for opening day.
Opening day was like a carnival. I think everyone in Belmont came to support us and we
felt the love. Opening day was July 27, 2001. Pretty late in the season to be opening, but Belmont
came out and supported us through that short season. And every season since.
In 2013, we purchased Kool Kone (5353 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids). We operated KK for 6 years, then sold it on a land contract. It came back to us in 2022, so we are running two shops again.
We have had the joy of employing over 250 of the neighborhood youth in our first 20 years,
mostly in their first jobs. It is our goal that as these youth grow up and get their adult jobs, that they are able to look back at their job at Trailside Treats as the best job they ever had.
Years ago, I was working a corporate America job. Although I liked the job, I didn't particularly
care for my boss. Bob and I drove past the future site of Trailside Treats every day, and we
started talking about what I'd love to do instead. I said, "I'd love to buy that house, knock it down
and build an ice cream store." We tossed it around for a while, made some phone calls, did some
dreaming. Then Bob called me at work with a name for the business, and that was it.
Once we named it, we were all in!
Of course, it wasn't that easy. We had a lot of help from friends, from demo,
cement work, construction, framing, roofing, painting, landscaping, childcare and just
a shoulder to cry on. Too many to list! And we couldn't have done it without them.
We love the Belmont community.
You watched us build and waited impatiently for opening day.
Opening day was like a carnival. I think everyone in Belmont came to support us and we
felt the love. Opening day was July 27, 2001. Pretty late in the season to be opening, but Belmont
came out and supported us through that short season. And every season since.
In 2013, we purchased Kool Kone (5353 Plainfield Ave NE, Grand Rapids). We operated KK for 6 years, then sold it on a land contract. It came back to us in 2022, so we are running two shops again.
We have had the joy of employing over 250 of the neighborhood youth in our first 20 years,
mostly in their first jobs. It is our goal that as these youth grow up and get their adult jobs, that they are able to look back at their job at Trailside Treats as the best job they ever had.
HISTORY
Founded in July 2001
