What to Know
- June 20 Grand Opening
- 2-10 p.m.
- 7324 Melrose Avenue
Pondering Philadelphia and its most famous foods?
It's a city with a notable amount of savory flair, meaning fans regularly long for a classic cheesesteak, soft pretzel, or hoagie, even if they happen to be thousands of miles away.
But Philly's regional cuisine has a celebrated sweeter side, too, and there's no better place to see that than in a cold cup of water ice, especially as the hot days of June, July, and August arrive.
Lemier Mitchell, who grew up in Philadelphia, understands the cravings behind this cold treat.
The entrepreneur has helmed the Happy Ice truck since 2017, an enterprise that began with help from his mom. And a big and vibrant vision, too: The tattoo artist loved the rising food truck scene first seen around LA more than a half decade ago.
Understanding that "tomorrow is not promised," a feeling that grew for the visionary following his brother's passing in a motorcycle accident and his father's sentencing to life in prison, Mr. Mitchell decided to act on that dream.
Over the nearly three years since the Happy Ice truck first connected with sweet-loving Southern Californians, thousands of Angelenos have had the chance to savor real Philadelphia-inspired water ice, a confection that can be enjoyed year-round in Southern California.
Happy Ice is now set for its official storefront debut, on the heart of Melrose Avenue, on Saturday, June 20. Even though the shop was closed during the Black Lives Matter protests, Mr. Mitchell opened up to given cups of Happy Ice to protesters.
While the coronavirus closures delivered recent setbacks to Mr. Mitchell's plans, the shop's summer solstice opening feels auspicious, a joyful day to begin anew.
"The feeling of accomplishment I’m experiencing from opening my first store on Melrose is what’d I’d imagine a college graduation feels like," shared Mr. Mitchell.
"After all the hard work, it’s like I’m seeing it all start to pay off, and it’s time to celebrate. Our goal is to spread happiness and love into every community, and this is a huge step toward that."
Stop by, order a cup of ice, and wish Mr. Mitchell well as he brings his uplifting message of "Do Good," seen on the Happy Ice truck's license plate, to this Philly-flavorful, happy-hearted new adventure.
