The season’s most colorful, flavorful treat, the snow cone, is a summertime staple.
Down to the last anticipated sip of delicious syrup pooling at the bottom of the cup, snow cones have taken their rightful place in the traditions of American childhood.
“They’re refreshing on a hot day and something to look forward to,” said Molly Gorman, employee at SnowieTopeka. “You can sit around with your family, and it lets you be a kid again, no matter how old you are.”
Topeka educator started summer business in 2018
Snow cones got their start in the United States in the mid-1800s. Children in large cities followed wagons delivering ice, asking for shavings to keep cool on hot days. Mothers began making a simple syrup to flavor the ice shavings, and an Americanized version of the snow cone was born.
The icy dessert was popularized at state fairs and praised for its portability and affordability. During WWII rationing, snow cones became an accessible alternative to ice cream, which was in short supply. Today, they can be found at carnivals, circuses, birthday parties and sporting events.
Rob Wall is the owner and operator of the Manila Snow Cone Co., based out of Topeka. He’s been in the business since 2018, selling snow cones from May 1 until Oct. 31 each year.
“As a teacher, I was always looking for something to do in the summer,” said Wall. “My friend owned a Mexican restaurant and had a carnival trailer. We would set the trailer up at carnivals and sell food.”
He began noticing that the shaved ice trucks were always the last ones to show up and the first to leave the carnival. That’s when Wall decided to pursue a second career in the snow cone industry.
Two years ago, he attended a summit for Snowie, a company in Salt Lake City, Utah, that manufactures shaved ice equipment and flavored syrups. Wall was instantly sold on its business model and began operating as SnowieTopeka, selling three sizes of snow cones.
“Our syrup is the best. The flavors are really superior, and the most fun part is the kids get to put on their own flavors,” he said.
Tiger's blood is a popular snow cone flavor
One of Snowie’s most popular flavors is tiger’s blood, a strawberry-coconut combination. The business also offers blue raspberry, strawberry fresh, lemon lime, wild cherry and watermelon on a regular basis, with specialty flavors at some locations.
Along with the regular syrup found at SnowieTopeka, customers can request the Snowie Naturals brand of organic snow cone flavorings. Snowie Natural flavors are sweetened using Stevia instead of sugar. They don’t contain any dyes, are sugar and calorie-free, and safe for people with food dye allergies.
Wall said he regularly circulates product so that his snow cone syrup is always fresh.
“There’s no waste in this industry," he said. "The ice can always be refrozen, and the syrup uses a formula that’s good for up to 18 months.”
Wall said because SnowieTopeka isn't a franchise and he doesn’t pay royalties, he has the freedom to invest money back into the local community. He frequently hosts fundraisers for area schools and donates 50% of his sales back to the school.
“What sets us apart is we can be more generous to the community because we’re not a franchise, and we’re not limited to a certain territory," he said. "I can go wherever I want, and there’s no one from corporate telling me what to do. It’s more entrepreneurial, and you can market it however you want.”
The SnowieTopeka kiosk is frequently found at Gage Park in the summer months. Wall is also a vendor at Evergy Plaza in downtown Topeka and a preferred vendor with Washburn University. He said most places today require vetted vendors to ensure that proper food handler licensing and liability insurance is in place.
“It keeps the safety up and protects the people,” said Wall.
Snow cone business expanded with permanent North Topeka site
SnowieTopeka expanded this summer, adding a permanent seasonal building in the Dillons North Plaza parking lot at 910 N.W. 25th St. That location offers Snowie’s traditional flavors, plus mango, pina colada and grape options. Customers can also take advantage of three picnic tables and a large field for four-legged friends to run and play.
“We’re just really happy with the Dillons North location,” said Wall. “We want people to know they don’t have to cross the river to get a snow cone.”
In addition to single-serve snow cones, SnowieTopeka provides snow cone machine rentals for parties and events. Wall has five DIY Little Snowie Max snow cone machines that rent for $129 for a 24-hour rental period.
Each machine comes with everything required to make and eat up to 50 snow cones. Wall said delivery and pickup are free of charge.
For larger organizations or corporate events, businesses can book the shaved ice kiosk. Wall has taken the kiosk to school fundraisers, corporate fun days, employee and customer appreciation events, and grand openings, as well as to parades and festivals.
Wall said he has a unique purpose for selling snow cones, and it’s all tied up in his connection to young people and the young at heart.
Business owner's children learning entrepreneurial spirit
A Topeka native and lifelong teacher, Wall met his wife while he was teaching English overseas to military pilots. He named his snow cone business, the Manila Snow Cone Co., as a tribute to the capital of his wife’s home country of the Philippines.
The couple went on to have two children and moved back to Topeka, where Wall said he wanted to teach his kids, ages 7 and 10, the entrepreneurial spirit. They can often be found helping with the business.
Wall teaches at the Shawnee County Department of Corrections Juvenile Detention Center and said his second career selling snow cones allows him to see kids just being kids.
He said he believes snow cones are a family event and loves to see grandparents enjoying their first snow cone in decades alongside their grandkids.
“I work with a challenging group of students,” said Wall. “I’ve always enjoyed a challenge, but it’s hard and soul-crushing to work with 15-, 16-, 17-year-old kids who might spend the next 20 years in jail for the choices they’ve made. This is my snow cone ministry.”
Where can I find snow cones this summer in Topeka?
The Snowie mobile unit will be at Gage Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily Thursday through Sunday until school starts.
The public can find the Snowie kiosk location for other days of the week on the mobile Munch app or by checking the SnowieTopeka Facebook page and enjoy Snowie snow cones all summer long in the far west parking lot of the Dillons North Plaza next to Great Clips.
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