Meet Jessica Fultner of Ruby’s Sno-Balls in Old East Dallas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Fultner.

Jessica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Well, my husband is from New Orleans and when the weather would get hot he’d start going on about wanting a sno-ball. We went to a couple snow cone and raspado places in our neighborhood because those were what I knew, but he never seemed happy with them. One time, we went to see his family and he insisted on showing me what he was looking for and WOW!

One of the places that really stood out was Hansen’s. The ice was shaved so finely and her flavors tasted like nothing I’d ever had before. Fresh satsuma, New Orleans Nectar… I can still taste it!

When we got back to Dallas, I couldn’t shake the idea of bringing some part of that back to my neighborhood. So, I researched like mad for a year, studying up on what it would take to run a business, what the health requirements would be, all kinds of fun stuff.

When it came time to find a place, I was getting a little stuck, but Vicky who runs our favorite Saturday breakfast place La Victoria offered the use of her back room and away we went! It’s been much more work than I could have imagined, and I’m still chasing the quality of shave that Hansen’s puts out. But Ruby’s is in its third year now, so I guess we’re doing something right!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Ha! There are so many challenges that come up that you just can’t prepare for. For instance, ice. Ice is central to what I do and in my research, I saw that some places make their own ice and some buy it. Starting a business entirely out of pocket I wasn’t ready to buy one of those machines yet. I figured I’d just call a couple places and go with the best price. Guess what the local ice companies don’t sell!

But George Rubio at SNO Gourmet Shaved Ice is a saint and agreed to sell me ice blocks. Actually, he’s been a great resource and a huge inspiration all around. Can’t say enough nice things about that man!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ruby’s Sno-Balls – what should we know?
Ruby’s sells New Orleans-style sno-balls with a local twist. I do offer classic flavors because sometimes you just want something familiar. But I’m most proud of my especially flavors. Some are constant, like my grapefruit and earl grey tea. Some things cycle for a month and some things I do for a week. I make sure that flavors combine well so there’s always something new for frequent customers to try. As for what I’m most proud of, there’s a microseasonal flavor that we only offer for the very limited time that it’s available. Do you have honeysuckle nectar? Imagine a whole spoonful.

What sets Ruby’s apart? I feel like it’s our limited menu of fresh-made flavors.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I certainly owe thanks to Vicky Zamora and the whole La Victoria family. She’s been so generous opening her space to me and she’s been nothing but encouraging every step of the way. Steven Sweeney from the Dallas Metropolitan Small Business Development Center was a huge help and still checks in on me to see how things are going. My team at Ruby’s is vital to keeping things going. There’s only so much I can do on my own and their energy and enthusiasm keep things going.

Of course, I wouldn’t be in a position to answer any of these questions if it weren’t for everyone who comes by and supports Ruby’s. From those who are willing to come out and try something new to our loyal regulars who I get to share special moments with, Ruby’s is here because they want it to be.

I feel like I could go on and on, but if I had to wrap it up real quick I just have to give a shout out to my husband Scott. He’s been an absolute rock through this whole endeavor and it’s hard to imagine how Ruby’s would have come into being without his support.

Pricing:

• From 2.50 for a small classic flavor

Contact Info:

• Address: 1605 N Haskell Ave,
  Dallas, TX 75204
• Website: www.rdsnoballs.com
• Phone: 972-898-9227
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubyssnoballs/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rdsnoballs/

Image Credit:
Jesse Armstrong, Scott Fultner

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