During a vacation to the East Coast a few years ago, Phillip Gresham stopped by a street vendor selling Italian ice. He savored the taste of the frosty treat, which has a sorbet-like consistency and generally comes in fruit flavors.
“They had it everywhere out there, and my son is lactose intolerant, so it really worked for him. We loved it,” says Phillip, a buyer-expediter in Purchasing at OMRF. “When I got back home, I looked around and couldn’t find Italian ice anywhere.”
That’s when his inner entrepreneur kicked in. After doing some research, he took a course on running a small business, and his new company, Fresh Ice, LLC., was born.
He bought a little cart and modified it to meet Oklahoma City health code standards. The self-contained cart is heavily insulated and can maintain a constant temperature for hours.
“Once I found a supplier, we were ready to go to work,” he says.
His first setup was outside A Date With Iris, a floral shop on Western near Sushi Neko. Four years later, you’ll find him setting up outside events like Sonic Movie Night at the Myriad Gardens and the Heard on Hurd street festival in downtown Edmond. And, of course, at OMRF’s Spring Fling.
He also works private parties, birthdays, baby showers, weddings and more.
“There’s a lot I enjoy about this venture, but the best part is I get to do it with my family,” he says. Sometimes his oldest son, 6-year-old Alijah, has a miniature cart next to him, where he sells bottled water and pickles.
“He really likes it, but if we’re working an event with a bounce house, that cart usually isn’t manned for long,” he says.
Phillip’s next step is to find a permanent location for Fresh Ice. He’s also in the process of launching a second venture, a fashion apparel company. “It’s one of my passions,” he says. “So why not take a shot?”
