The untimely death of his brother served as the main driving force for a young Lemeir Mitchell to chase his dream by leaving his home in Philadelphia. Growing up in a rough neighborhood, being one of 13 children, and having an incarcerated father, he was in dire need of a fresh start. Moving away from a troubled past and in the midst of a global tragedy, Mitchel found something that would give his life a new purpose. When COVID-19 hit the US and the rest of the world, the country saw an unprecedented number of deaths. With uncertainty and great fear roaming the streets, the future seemed bleak, however, the pandemic was also the time he built the courage to develop his next business venture. Turning his ice truck into a physical store, Happy Ice which now operates on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles proved to be a monumental point in his budding career.
Social media proved to be a heavily influential factor for the success of Happy Ice. In its initial days, the truck did not make much money but soon after being featured on YouTube, everyone wanted a taste. Today, the Instagram page has over 70,000 followers and has caught the attention of many celebrities, so much so that the opening day was graced by the likes of Babyface, Cedric the Entertainer, and many more. But the truly life-changing moment that would catalyze a prosperous chain reaction was when he met the entrepreneur Ted Foxman. As the summer’s heat built up, Foxman was drawn towards this colorful truck selling water-based treats, he was so impressed by it that he invited Mitchell to bring his truck (along with others) for a private party of 400. His character, however, is what sealed the deal, after being the only one to thank Foxman for the opportunity. Since then, they have signed a contract that alludes to many more exciting business ventures including an amusement park.
In the midst of great tragedy wielded by the pandemic, we also witnessed an uprising in entrepreneurs and new innovative businesses. A plea for more black owned-businesses put Mitchel’s flavored ice at an advantage as it was just what the city needed. Mitchel recalls the extremities of the BLM looting and how thankful he was that his newly opened store managed to remain unscathed. After seeing the pain endured by the black community, Happy Ice showed its support for the BLM movement by offering free treats to protestors. In addition to that, they created a black-flavor and donated all the proceeds to Sister of Watts, a local black organization.
Looking back, Lemeir Mitchell has come a long way. At the beginning of the pandemic, he had to shut down his truck in accordance with safety measures and when things appeared to be better he reopened the truck following the new safety precautions. Described as a fusion between ice cream and sorbet, his unique water-based treats have been bringing some joy and light in these difficult times to his customers.
In a period of great loss, Happy Ice became an ethereal experience for those who have been stuck at home for over a year. Young children who were confined to the walls of their homes, could step outside for a few moments, bask in the sun and savor some Mango Madness or Rainbow Rocket and take pictures around the famous rainbow truck. Those joyous moments are cherished and serve as a ray of light in an otherwise grim period we have all been facing. That same experience has certainly translated into the new store which is painted in a screaming blast of colors.
Seeing how much light Happy Ice has brought into people’s lives was very reassuring for Mitchell who experienced many moments of doubt early. Having a daughter born with a disability meant that Mitchell had to do more to support his family. Working as a famous tattoo artist at the time, he contemplated whether opening a store would be the right decision; owning two food trucks meant having to work more to manage. In the early stages of his career to save money, he would sleep at the shops he worked at. Mitchell invested his life savings into Happy Ice. However, he attributes his success to his mother who has unconditionally supported him, and the owner of Fred’s Ice Water, Fred Cooper, who gave him his 40-year-old secret recipe.
At 29 years old, Mitchell finds himself making an impact in his local community as a business owner with a purpose. In these moments we realize how something as simple as a slushie or sorbet-like treat can really lighten up your day. With the emergence of new business opportunities for people of color, one hopes that these changes continue to benefit society.
