As Roanoke emerges into its “new normal,” the Star City is strong, resilient, and ready for what’s next – home to a diverse set entrepreneurs, creatives and community-builders from around the world … and right down the road. In each installment of our blog series, you’ll meet a new face who’ll share their spin on the Star City – their favorite places to eat, drink, connect or get inspired.
It’s hard to think of anything that evokes more summertime nostalgia than Delicia’s Gourmet Ice in mid-July.
Pull up to the corner of 20th and Carroll Avenue in the Melrose neighborhood, and the first thing you’ll see is a line of cars forming along the street by Kennedy Park. Then – through the shimmer of heat-waves rising from the pavement – you’ll spot a small blue trailer tucked tight to the curb, the awnings folded back to reveal neighborhood teens scooping brightly-colored balls of ice into Styrofoam cups.
Take a bite of this smooth, creamy, rainbow dessert, and you get it: this is the taste of summer.
“I started with two flavors in the back of a Sentra,” says Teano Tucker, better known as “the Iceman,” who operates DG Ice with his wife, Dee Tucker. “We would ride around giving out samples after working long hours at our jobs, to get to this point now.”
The pair have come a long way from their beginnings. These days, when they’re not scooping in the neighborhood and offering delivery service, they serve their patented, gluten-free, dairy-free ice at corporate events and private gatherings, with the hope of slowly breaking into the wedding market, too.
But make no mistake: their business is about more than just the bottom line. Dee and the Iceman hope to give their teen employees a window into a different kind of life: one of entrepreneurial grit and gumption.
That’s why they aim to give their young employees the small-business know-how they didn’t have when they started. To develop skills and expose them to new faces, Dee and the Iceman bring the teens with them to events outside of their comfort zone, whether that means serving at an insurance company’s grand re-opening or at a Moose Lodge across town. They encourage their helpers to share photos and promotions on their own social media pages and allow them to split the tips. Three of her employees have made it their goal to one day own trailers of their own, Dee says.
“We grew up here in Roanoke. We both graduated from William Fleming. We love our city and we love these kids,” says Dee.
Here’s what this entrepreneur has to say about her favorite hometown spots:
Q: As Roanoke begins to adapt to new rhythms, you’re probably excited to get back to a few special spots. What’s a restaurant or two you’re happy to visit again?
DT: TJ’s Backyard BBQ … one of my absolute favorites. I’m going to tell you, anything on the menu! It’s a family affair! Everything is cooked on the grill, and all the sides are homemade. Thursday is Turkey-Leg Thursday; it’s a family favorite for us. He smokes them on the grill where you can actually shake the bone and the meat just falls off. It’s amazing!
Q: How about a great spot for something to drink?
DT: AJ’s Oh Snap! Lemonade … I want to say AJ might be ten. He told Iceman that he inspired him to start his own business… so we support AJ every time! You would tear up from their customer service — I love it.
Q: Where do you go locally to feel creative and inspired?
DT: He likes to drive, so we do a lot of the Parkway, up the mountains… [And] I enjoy going to the fitness parties because it forces me to work out. I do love Simply Fitness by Diane … I would encourage you to take one of her classes to see what she does … She’s sweet and she’s wonderful, she’s quiet and she’s shy – And then she’ll put the mic on and turn on.
Q: Is there anyone locally who’s inspired you to do more or hustle harder?
DT: When we first started really getting into the business, one was Master Sergeant, Mr. Murray [of Master Sergeant BBQ]. He challenged us… He came at us like, ‘You kids got something here, you’ve got potential. Stop playing with it and make a decision.’
… And I want to say, with the younger generation of the kids, the Humble Hustle movement. I am so proud of Xavier [Duckett, founder and CEO]. We know his family. So to see them now, doing their thing, influencing, changing lives, participating in life … I’m proud of all of them.
To find out where DG Ice will be scooping next, like them on Facebook.
Stay tuned for our next installment of Roanoke According To …
About the Writer:
Ashley Wilson Fellers is a writer, educator, self-taught painter and contemplative photographer in Roanoke, Virginia. When she isn’t teaching writing at Virginia Western, she snaps photos of sidewalk cracks, rescues wet leaves from windshield wipers and leaves poems hidden under park benches. She has a Master of Fine Arts degree from Virginia Tech.
