Josh's Sno Shack Serves Up Summer

By Tara Vreeland, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- Sunscreen, freckles, shorts, and vacations, there are countless things that just symbolize summer.   And, in this economy, the simple joys of summer are all the rage, including the comeback of flavored, syrupy ice confections best known as sno cones. It is one cool business that's heating up.

It is a simple concept, turned sweet treat:  shaved ice and flavored syrup.

"I really take a lot of pride in making sure it's really soft.  Good shaved ice as opposed to a crunchy snow cone," said Josh Juarez.

Entrepreneur Josh Juarez opened Josh's Sno Shack at 71st and Garnett five years ago.

"The very first year we opened it was me in there every day, all day in the summer," said Josh Juarez.

He opened a second shack, now seeing its third summer at 91st and Memorial.

Of course, every sno cone shop needs some special concoctions.  Josh's offers the firecracker which is a mix of cinnamon with pink champaign and passion fruit syrups. There is also the classic Red White and Blue with raspberry, coconut and blueberry.

There's nothing like an ice cold treat on a hot summer's day to make you feel like a kid again.

"It's cheap.  You can come out, have 10 kids and feed them all for 10 bucks. You can't go anywhere else and get a dessert for that cheap," said Josh Juarez.

During a time when businesses are cutting back, and families are scaling back, Juarez's cool business is running hot.

"It really hasn't touched us I don't think. It gets busier every year.  We just get busier and busier," said Josh Juarez.  "We're trying to redefine it as a good fluffy shaved ice experience."

The business has expanded so much so that Juarez now employs 13 people so Josh's Sno Shack will be open every day of the summer whether the forecast calls for sunshine or rain.