LA SALLE — Jennifer Bolton started a cool job this summer. The LaSalle resident owns and operates Jen’s Vintage Treats, a mobile ice cream camper.
When she is not peddling frozen confections, the 50-year-old sells real estate.
"I’ve always wanted to own my own ice cream shop," Jennifer Bolton said. “I love classic cars and vintage campers. I love going to vintage markets. I love vintage items. It just hit me one day. I said to my husband, 'We’re going to find an old vintage camper and I am going to do ice cream.'"
After locating a 1960 vintage camper she calls “Clare,” Bolton, with help of her husband, Steve, spent four months renovating the vehicle to serve as a mobile business.
“We had to do everything,” she said. “She got a new paint job, new doors, new flooring, new walls and insulation.”
Although the interior of the camper is not accessible to customers, it is available for photos.
“I have a 1952 Chevrolet pickup truck that I am in the process of preparing to pull my camper next year,” she said. “His name is Hank. Hank will be pulling Clare and I will be taking both of them to special events. I have two weddings booked for next year and Hank and Clare will be there for pictures.”
In May, Bolton started booking public and private events like weddings and birthday parties. She’ll operate the business until October and is already scheduling events for next year. Bolton charges a flat fee starting at $125.
“I have a quiet generator so nothing is required for me to set up at an event other than a space for me to park,” she said. “Sometimes, people will contact me and they’re worried about the amount of ice cream. I can hold up to a thousand ice creams or more. There’s plenty of room for ice cream.”
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Inside the custom camper are two freezers stocked with a variety of ice cream favorites like Bomb Pops, Push-Up Pops, Drumsticks, chocolate eclairs and ice cream sandwiches. If requested, Bolton can provide non-dairy and sugar-free options.
“I sell novelty, old school ice cream” she said. “They are all prepackaged. Strawberry Shortcake is the most popular followed by Push-Ups.”
In the few months Bolton has been in business, she has been to seven events and has 22 more booked for this year.
“I am extremely excited for that with this being my first year,” she said. “What I love the most about it is when people walk up and I get to hear their childhood stories. While they’re deciding what ice cream to purchase, they’ll talk about how they ate Push-Ups as a child. It’s very cool to hear their stories.”
To date, Bolton has marketed her business using social media. More information about Jen’s Vintage Treats can be found on Facebook.
— Contact reporter Lisa Vidaurri-Bowling at lvidaurribowling@gannett.com.
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