Cool at the Pool: Stan's Snow Cones

Last Saturday I went down to the Pells Pool to meet Stanley Wood of Stan’s Snow Cones.

Stan is 13 years old. He’s been saving his pocket money since he was five – yes FIVE – because he “couldn’t think of anything to spend it on.” All his mates had an Xbox, so he’d just go over to theirs if he wanted to game.

He says he was waiting for the right business opportunity to present itself.

And on a spring-time family holiday to New York City, it did. Stan was at a People’s Pops stand when he noticed that they did something on the side that he’d not seen before: ‘shaved ice‘.

After asking where they got their trays and scrapers, he ventured to an underground market dedicated to the catering industry to buy the kit. And then schlepped it all back to Lewes in his suitcase.

Once back, he constructed a stall with his dad and designed a logo with his aunt.

Now he can single-handedly put his stand together using tools he carries in a vintage toolbox. There’s a flag, hooks for his kit and, thanks to some old skateboard wheels, he can move the entire thing with ease.

Stan’s Snow Cones launched this summer. But only after Stan bought two chest freezers – also with his savings – and three different moulds to create his ice blocks. These last between two and seven hours, depending on their size and the heat of the day.

The snow cones are a paper cup – now branded thanks to Stanley reinvesting in his business and commissioning a rubber stamp – filled with lightly shaved ice. This is flavoured with your choice of French Monin syrup.

Kids will love seeing this made before them. And they’ll love tasting it even more. Best of all? It won’t spoil their appetites for tea!

We chose watermelon (him) and passionfruit (me). We ate them with a little wooden spoons and then drank the deliciously chilly, syrupy liquid once the ice had melted.

I am inordinately impressed by Stan‘s get up and go. That he saved all his cash from such a young age, spotted a gap in the market, gives up his precious Saturdays… All of it.

I think the product is delicious. And I loved watching my son listen to Stan talk about his business. WHAT a role model.

Stan is at the Pells Pool every Saturday and some Fridays, until the pool closes in mid-September. (He then plans to move on somewhere else, so check his website for where).

His snow cones vary in flavour from week to week. They’re £1 each.

You can read about his appearance at the StrEAT food festival in July, at the Gannet + Parrot blog.

To find out more about Stan, his story, and where else he’s setting up check stanssnowcones.blogspot.co.uk