Hokulia Franchise Opens In Gering, Scottsbluff

Two new cool sweet spots have opened for the summer. Gering business owners Brent and Susan Holliday and Chris and Holli Nelson have opened two Hokulia Shave Ice shacks, the first in Nebraska, in Scottsbluff and Gering. The Scottsbluff location, on the corner of 20th Street and Avenue I, opened May 16 and the Gering location, at 1270 10th Street right next to Fresh Foods, opened May 17.

The kiosks, decked out in hot Hawaiian colors complete with a grass skirt, offer "A Taste of Hawaii" based on the popular shave ice products of Hawaii.

Holliday said the shave ice product is a very fine ice that appears almost snow-like.

"It's a unique product, we don't grind the ice like a snow-cone, we shave it so it's feather thin that really sucks up the flavor. There's also a version that we add ice cream to and there are more than 50 flavor combinations to choose from." At each location, customers can find convenient tables, chairs and umbrellas. The tables are specially-designed with holes at each setting, so customers can place their shave ice cups in the holes and enjoy eating their treats with both hands free.

Not initially seeking to open a new business, Holliday said he came across the Hokulia franchise one day while leisurely surfing the Internet for franchising ideas. When he stumbled across the shave ice concept, he was intrigued.

"At first I thought it was a neat idea but wondered if it would really work here. So I called on it and found out it was based in Utah. Well, it just so happens that Susan and I are dorm parents for WNCC and one of the softball players is from Utah where the company is franchised" and she said it's the greatest thing ever," Holliday said. "So I thought, maybe I should pursue this a little more." The franchise research turned into a business trip to Utah where Brent and Susan were convinced to bring Hokulia Shave Ice to Nebraska and along with Chris and Holli Nelson, help expand the new franchise throughout the Midwest.

"We are the first ones in Nebraska and will open another one in Cheyenne in a couple of weeks," Holliday said. "Our intention is to open two more next year. We're maybe looking at Fort Collins or maybe Rapid City of Lincoln." Holliday said the two local Hokulia shacks currently employ 18 youth from the area, ages 14 to college age. For many, he said, this is their first ever summer job.

"It's been a lot of work and scrambling to get the two shacks open, but we're having a lot of fun with it and working with the kids," he said. "We're enjoying seeing the kids come down after the pool or the baseball games and Fresh Foods has been great to work with. We're just excited to be here in Gering."

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