ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – It’s a sure sign of warmer days to come when businesses selling cold treats reopen their doors.
In Escanaba, Jim’s Dari-Kreme opened to an enthusiastic crowd on Monday. According to Owner Trevor Sebeck, they were so enthusiastic much of the menu was sold out by the end of the day.
“At 12:00, we had people knocking on the door,” he said. “It was so busy that the machines emptied right out, toppings emptied right out.”
Business has continued to be strong through the rest of the week.
“With the nice touch of spring weather and being open in March, hopefully this is a good sign,” said Sebeck. “Usually, we get that last little snowstorm or a cold day, but it hasn’t happened yet. Otherwise, it looks like it’s going to be a great season.”
As the shop enters its 67th season, Sebeck says the community’s support is just as important to Jim’s Dari-Kreme’s success as the ice cream they’ve come to know and love.
“Everything’s word of mouth,” he said. “Families stop in, travelers stop in year to year. Yearly visitors come see family, you know, ‘We have to stop every time!’ A lot of the cones on the walls, people point out, ‘This is when I was 10 years old’ or, ‘This was your father when he was 9.’ It’s kind of nice to pass on through the generations the treats that we have here.”
While Jim’s customers can expect the same classic menu, Sebeck says some new ideas are in the works. This season also features the return of frozen lemonade and big wheel sandwich cookies.
Jim’s Dari-Kreme is open daily from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Those hours will be extended in the coming weeks, and customers can follow the shop’s Facebook page for updates.
