Snow cone stands around Abilene are opening for the summer season, including Cajun Cones and Hard Rock Ice, both located conveniently near ACU’s campus.
Hard Rock Ice is located off Judge Ely Boulevard between North 10th Street and Rushwood Drive, while Cajun Cones has a new location behind Chicken Express on North 10th Street.
Maria Hernandez and her husband opened Hard Rock Ice, so their daughter could have a summer job and save money for a car. They started their third season on Feb. 28.
“Most places like this open up the week of spring break, but it was getting warm, and we were ready to open up a little early,” Hernandez said. “The city only allows a part-time business like this to be open six months out of the year, so we’ll have to close down at the end of August.”
Hard Rock Ice opens at 2 p.m. except on Sundays, when its business hours begin at 4 p.m. During the summer, it will remain open until 10 p.m. daily, but due to the slightly cooler weather and school still being in session, Hard Rock Ice currently closes at 8 p.m. each day.
Cajun Cones had a slightly later start then this year than Dr. Lynn Luttrell, co-owner, would have liked because of its forced relocation. But it now is open for business as well.
“Chicken Express has been very gracious, and their general manager, Steve Davis, was very accommodating during the move and allowing us to relocate in their parking lot,” Luttrell said. “We did not want to move. This is our 24th season, and we were in the United parking lot for the majority of those years.”
Cajun Cones was forced to move its stand when Nikki’s Swirl Shoppe opened by United Supermarket due to a no-competition clause for frozen desserts on the same property.
“We understand how it is, starting a new business, and we welcome the yogurt shop. But they considered us to be a frozen dessert, and we had to move,” Luttrell said. “It cost us several thousand dollars, but it only delayed us a couple of days, and we were blessed getting open as soon as we did.”
Cajun Cones’ new location does have reduced visibility from Judge Ely Boulevard, but Luttrell said he hoped their costumers still would remember them.
Reese Myatt, senior agriculture business major from Abernathy, did not know about the move until he was leaving United and saw the Cajun Cones stand behind Chicken Express.
“We were looking for it the other day because we saw Hard Rock was opened, and I wanted some Cajun Cone,” Myatt said. “I’m just really glad it’s snow cone season.”
Cajun Cones is open from 2-9 p.m. every day except those with inclement weather.
