Hello all,

Upon my return from my recent vacation to Hawaii and falling in love with Hawaiian style shave-ice I decided to look into opening a shave-ice business here in Florida. Since there are plenty of "tropical" parallels here in Florida I figure that a shave-ice business could do well here. Which leads me to my questions about starting one up....

What type of locations have you business owners found the most successful? Near the beach, near a walking area, etc. ?

What type of building did you use? Small window, patio, actual restaurant?

Has anyone tried to "hooch" up their shave-ice for popular after-hours locations (if you have a liquor license)?

I've got a bunch of other questions but I will search for the answers on the forum.

Mahalo from Florida!

Well Gator Ice sounds like your hooked lol. There are so many variations of how to operate a shave ice business. I run mine from a trailer that is parked in a large shopping plaza on a major roadway right up against the street. The words to live by are LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!! No hooching in VA LOL. Best of luck...do your homework as there is a lot involved to do it right and legal.

Hahah emphasis the word "LOCATION" is truly the best tip you can give. I mean even if you have the best of everything. What good is this if you have no one to sell it to at a slow location?

We just moved here from the Big Island and were also thinking of opening a Shave Ice business! The so called "Hawaiian Ice" is actully "Snow Cones"! It's horrible how people use "Hawaiian" to describe something that is not Hawaiian at all! I would say if you go ahead with your business please make it true to what people who have eaten the real stuff expect and you should be very succesful and have many happy return customers! Don't be surprised to find many Hawaiian's driving many miles in search of the real stuff! Aloha will be nui loa! Aloha! P.S. I hope we're not planning on opening the same business in the same town! LOL

keakitty wrote:We just moved here from the Big Island and were also thinking of opening a Shave Ice business! The so called "Hawaiian Ice" is actully "Snow Cones"! It's horrible how people use "Hawaiian" to describe something that is not Hawaiian at all! I would say if you go ahead with your business please make it true to what people who have eaten the real stuff expect and you should be very succesful and have many happy return customers! Don't be surprised to find many Hawaiian's driving many miles in search of the real stuff! Aloha will be nui loa! Aloha! P.S. I hope we're not planning on opening the same business in the same town! LOL

Moving from the Big Island will be such an advantage for your because you're so familiar with the culture and will bring the Aloha Spirit with you! Best of luck on your new venture!