Don’t panic, they still have ice cream
An iconic South Okanagan icecream stand’s 30th year in business may be its most challenging yet. Tickleberry’s is only open five months of the year and is famous for its 72-flavour ice-cream bar, for which tourists and locals alike eagerly line up when the warm weather hits.
Kelsey Hoy, who took over the business from her parents five years ago, employs up to 70 people in the summertime, most of them teenagers, and already had 15 people working in March to open up for the season, when she suddenly had to close due to public health orders.
“We’ve already ordered all of our inventory, our store is full, we’re ready to go as we always are in preparation for the season – and we’re shut down,” said Hoy.
“We have a full, beautiful store and nobody going through it.”
In a bid to stay afloat, Tickleberry’s, which also sells gift items, souvenirs and all kinds of sweets, took to social media to take pre-orders for Easter ice-cream cakes and ice cream, and invited customers to pick up Friday – through a special window to maintain distancing.
Should health orders stay in place as they are now, that take-out window will be the Tickleberry’s point of sale this summer for in-person and online orders. The business is expected to be open Thursday through Sunday, beginning Mother’s Day weekend.
“It will be a weird 30th year, but we’re hoping when everything goes back to the new normal – whatever that is – that people will support local,” said Hoy, “because this is going to hurt pretty bad – and same with all the other local businesses.”