The story below is a preview from our July/August 2018 issue. For more, Subscribe today or view our FREE digital edition.
Photos By John Park
The dog days of summer are upon us. But fear not! From craft ice cream to frozen lemonade and custard cones to pup cups, Roanoke has lots of tasty options for staying cool.
When your days and years are filled with sitting on bleachers and along sidelines watching your kids play their sports, eventually your mind begins to wander around all the other fun (but of course, not more fun) things you might be doing if you weren’t so happily involved in watching your kids play sports. It isn’t surprising then, that the fun thing now known as Kippy’s Kustard, was dreamt up between two moms one early spring afternoon, sitting on bleachers, watching their sons play high school baseball.
For years, Keller Sadler and a dear friend would sit at their sons’ baseball games and concoct ideas for owning a business together. It was a fun game with a ring of seriousness to it, but not yet tested. But, Sadler says when her friend had the idea for a mobile custard shop, citing strong and convincing evidence for why it could work in Roanoke, her response was, quite literally, “Sure, why not?” Suddenly, the fun, mom-mind wandering became a serious business endeavor. That was March of 2016. Three months later, on July 1st, Kippy’s Kustard was up and running.
Because the friends had had so much kid-watching time to hone in on their business ideas, getting the stand up and running wasn’t so hard. They knew they wanted a trailer; it would be low overhead, conducive to their seasonal business model, mobile and simply fun. They knew they wanted a catchy name, something that would roll off kids’ tongues with ease as their parents were driving by. “I want to go to Kippy’s! Let’s go to Kippy’s!” Sadler mimicked for me, while I chuckled, knowing the mom genius behind the name.
They found their custard machine, tested products, retrofitted their trailer, ordered supplies and signs. They drove up and down Electric Road, looking for a plaza they thought would be a good fit and would be friendly to having their trailer in its lot. They found such a place at Oak Grove Plaza, whose owner was thrilled to have them. They came up with a menu, making it simple to start: vanilla, chocolate and twist; in cone, cup or shakes. Each season they’ve added more to the menu—particularly in toppings and specialty desserts.
So, what makes custard different? Several things, starting with egg yolks and butterfat. Frozen custard (which is said to have originated 1918 on a boardwalk in Coney Island) is 10 percent butterfat and contains egg yolks (which is what makes custard, custard). This, along with added cream, produces a richer, creamier product. It’s less icy than regular soft-serve ice cream and softer as well.
For me, Kippy’s Kustard isn’t just yummy. Kippy’s is the memory-making kind of place. You can have your custard any way you like: plain or full of toppings, as a shake (the raspberry is delicious), or a specialty item (my personal favorites are the Krazy Kippy and Bana-na Crème Pie), as a sundae or a float (my kids go for Root Beer). Kippy’s even has the Pup Cup for four-legged family members—a small vanilla custard with dog biscuit on top. With its fun menu, sunny yellow trailer decorated in colored lights, and parking lot setting, Kippy’s offers customers a happy—and nostalgic—summertime experience.
Sadler is now the sole owner and proprietor of Kippy’s Kustard. Her twins—daughter, Jordan and son, Noah–have both joined her in the stand, as well as several of Jordan’s friends. Sadler says spending time with her kids in this way has been one of the best things about having the custard stand. That, and the people she interacts with every day.
“That’s my favorite,” says Sadler without hesitation. “I love talking with people; being with people. All the friends who come by, of course. But anybody. We love seeing all the smiles.”
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