Last year, high school students Carson Heuchert, Alex Garchinski and Wyatt Strueby did something that most kids their age aren’t doing during the summer months; run their own business. The three best friends decided that they wanted to make some extra money and wanted something a little more unique than the typical jobs that most high school students are working throughout the summer, so they decided that they would work for themselves and open an ice cream shop in Martensville – thus began Cones Ice Cream.
As the trio prepares to open for their second season, they can’t help but look back fondly on their inaugural season last year.
“Last year when we started, we really had no idea what to expect, so we ordered much less than we should have. Coming into this year, we have that knowledge and experience in place, so we can build on that and be better prepared,” Strueby explained. Heuchert added that despite some errors along the way, the feedback was very positive and customers were thankfully very forgiving over any minor mishaps that may have occurred.
Their first season saw multiple features in local media and an unbelievable amount of support from the public, which Garchinski noted was appreciated more than they can even express. “We could not be more grateful for the support we received from everyone. It is an incredible feeling to have so many people come out to see us. Honestly, I think one of the greatest parts of this, and one of the reasons we have succeeded is that even though we all share the same big goal, each of us plays a different part within that goal where we can use our different skill sets to our advantage.”
This year, there are plans to have some more options available such as new ice cream flavors and more non-dairy options for their customers, and the Cones team also plans to make an effort to become more involved in the community as well. “Our goal is to be more than just an ice cream stand and find more outlets for us to reach out and be a bigger part of the community,” Garchinski said.
One way that the young business owners plan to do this is by hosting a Community Clean-up in Kinsmen Park this month by providing garbage bags and gloves and invite local residents to come out to help keep the area beautiful.
Plans are in place to open May 13th, and once open, hours of operation will run 3pm-9pm on weekdays and 1pm-9pm on weekends to accommodate school schedules; however, once the school year is done, hours will expand.
This year marks the senior year for all three young men, and as of right now, plans for a third season at Cones are unknown; however, they are just looking forward to the upcoming summer at the moment. For all three, the memories of spending time in Kinsmen Park and enjoying ice cream while growing up remain strong and they want to share that with others.
“We can’t say for sure what next year holds, but we know for now that we are going to have a blast doing what we love again this summer. Our goal is that we don’t ever want to see Martensville go another summer without an ice cream shack though. Whether it be us, other kids that we can show the ropes to or someone else, it would be nice to see Cones continue as a staple of this community,” Garchinski stated.
Wherever the future takes them, one thing is for certain; the memories of running their own business with their best friends will last a lifetime, along with the first-hand business experience that will continue to shape them into their futures.
“This experience and learning about the time and effort that goes into your own business is something I will hold onto forever. It has been such a great opportunity for us,” Strueby added.
Additionally, the trio learned about how important community is. “We saw first-hand how something as simple as ice cream can bring people together. It connected everyone and we are so proud to be a part of that,” Heuchert said.
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