Today we’d like to introduce you to Kenneth Maust.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. I served the Navy and retired after 23 years as a Navy Chief. In 1996, I achieved my goal in becoming an Aviation Rescue Swimmer. I was also deployed as a door gunner for two tours in Iraq. In 2005, I became a Crew Chief Evaluator for Gulfstream aircraft, flying executive military peers all over the globe. I was very lucky and blessed to have fulfilling military career. Fort Worth (NAS JB) was my final naval station. I met my wife in 2017 back in my hometown. She moved to Ft. Worth in 2018, and we decided to start a business as part of our retirement plan. Kens wife, Ashley, is Business grad from Penn State and is the face of the Fort Worth store.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My wife managed opening Pelican’s in 2018, while I was still traveling for the Navy in my final year. This was the most difficult challenge of our life, financially and mentally. Pelican’s is a seasonal business (March-Oct). A lot of mistakes were made due to time/rushing to open. We had many setbacks due to working with the wrong contractors, city permits/code issues, etc. We learned a lot and now we know “what not to do when opening a business” and how to help others looking to start A business of their own. Lessons were learned and tons of debt accrued for years to come. By the grace of God, we were able to open in late July 2018. We still don’t know how we did it (financially) We had a very slow start and were only open three months before our season came to an end.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Pelican’s SnoBalls – what should we know?
Pelican’s SnoBalls is a New Orleans Shaved Ice business (family-owned franchises, over 180 locations in the USA – We now own two locations in Texas and hope to expand and help others open their own Pelican’s in Texas). We are known for the “World’s Best SnoBall” while giving customers a unique Pelican’s experience. Pelican’s was born from a New Orleans tradition of combining smooth, fluffy snow with bold flavors. We serve over 100+ amazing flavors over the smoothest shaved ice (almost like velvet). We make our own ice blocks and simple syrups for all flavors in house. The customer experience and quality of our ice are our top priorities. We pride our selves in bringing the community together for a fun experience for all ages. Each snoball is made to order in front of the customer (process is magical). We provide games and music for the customer to enjoy while having their snoball. We might even throw snow at you if you’re lucky! We also do offsite events/parties & fundraisers to help groups in need.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Steve and Kim Lemmons. Steve was the first owner of a Pelican’s in Texas (Roanoke – which we now own), he was our mentor and we learned everything about the shaved ice business from him. Steve and Kim trained us and were instrumental in helping us open our Fort Worth store, we could not have done it without their help and support. We also thank the Pelican’s Corp, which holds us to a standard to be the best-shaved ice in Texas (and the World) and keeping our customers first (treating everyone like family).
Contact Info:
- Address: 6517 Camp Bowie Blvd. Fort Worth, TX 76116 & 409 E Byron Nelson Blvd. Roanoke, TX 76262
- Website: Pelicanssnoballs.com
- Phone: 214-557-9458 (FW)/817-808-6040 (R)
- Email: pelicansfwtx@gmail.com / pelucanstx@gmail.com
- Instagram: @pelicansfortworth / @pelicanstxroanoke
- Facebook: @pelicansfortworth / @pelicanstxroanoke
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
