WEYMOUTH, Mass. — When you see the big blue truck rolling down the street, and hear the knock at the door, everyone screams for ice cream.
“I couldn’t think of a happier business to be in. No one is ever complaining when we show up,” said Katie Keefe, owner of Ellie’s Treats in Weymouth.
Like most small business owners, Katie and her husband Daniel needed to figure out a way to keep their profits from melting away during the COVID outbreak.
The couple started their business, which is named after their 5-year-old daughter Ellie, last year. They are normally hired for private and town events, but when the stay-at-home order was put in place, their business was put on ice.
“All of our events were getting cancelled and, of course, the emails were rolling in with cancellations,” said Keefe.
So, when faced with the rocky road ahead, the Keefes got creative, offering contact-less home deliveries. Their specialty: make your own sundae kits.
“We deliver everything, spoons, cups, cones, all the toppings and sauces. And we also do slush and popsicles too,” said Keefe.
After a single Facebook post asking for orders, the comments section exploded with excited customers asking for ice cream. The couple says their phone won’t stop ringing.
“It’s gone viral, we’re way busier than we ever thought we were going to be,” smiled Keefe.
In just six days, Ellie’s Treats has made more than 300 deliveries across the South Shore. They had to quickly change their business plan. They decided to dedicate delivery days to particular towns with high demand. They filled 70 orders for Easton in just 12 minutes; and 50 orders for Rockland in less than 30 minutes.
Boston 25 News followed Ellie’s Treats around Weymouth on Tuesday, and saw first hand just how excited everyone was to get their delicious treats delivered right to their door. A sign of the times. People are looking for a way to break the monotony or see a new face, and what better way, than with ice cream.
They’re delivering to families, individuals, and even delivered for a couple celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary.
Families are sharing pictures of them with their kits and sundaes online.
“Our joy and their joy is us pulling up and them being in the window and waiting for us to arrive,” said owner Daniel Keefe, who actually built the truck.
The couple says they’re actually doing a lot better than they would be. They normally cater events on the weekend. With home deliveries, and people stuck inside, they can deliver any day of the week.
The Keefes say so long as there’s demand, they’ll deliver.
“A lot of parents are giving us thumbs up as we’re going by and saying this is a great idea,” said Daniel Keefe.
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