- April 24, 2024
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As a business major at Daytona State College, Kenny Leandro, 19, hopes to, one day, own a Fortune 500 company. But for now, he’s content with running Planet Ice Cream in Flagler Beach.
Leandro’s parents bought him the shop to give him experience to complement his degree. Since the opening of the parlor in late fall last year, Leandro has already undergone struggle 101, when trying to sell ice cream in the cold of the winter.
“There were many ‘$2.75 days,’” Leandro said. “Only one customer came in, which was sort of difficult as a new business owner, but I made it through. I just turned the shop into a study hall, so I always stayed up-to-date on all my work.”
His father, Kenny Leandro Sr., laughed, “I think his exact words were, ‘Everybody hates me.’ To open an ice cream shop in the winter is tough, but sometimes it works out like that.”
The beginning for Leandro didn’t start out bad. He rapidly recognized the support of the Flagler Beach community, as Finn's Beachside Pub (located right next to Planet Ice Cream), Rocky’s Pizzeria and other local businesses donated cash registers, lamps, tables and other items to help the shop open.
“Everyone around has been really good to us,” Leandro said. “They’ve treated us better than family.”
Those businesses have also helped spread the word about the new ice cream shop in town. As the sun returned to Flagler County and winter melted away, Planet Ice Cream gained momentum, and had its most successful day during Bike Week. When all the bikers stopped at Finn’s, they mentioned the ice cream parlor next door, and what ensued blew the Leandros’ minds.
“We had a line that ran outside the shop and around the corner,” Leandro Sr. said. “We didn’t know bikers liked ice cream like that, but our neighbors have been good to us.”
Other than ice cream, Planet Ice Cream also sells hotdogs and lobster, or “lobstah” rolls, which the shop decided to sell to help pull through the winter. Planet Ice Cream offers a total of 44 different flavors by Hershey’s Ice Cream (not affiliated with Hershey’s Chocolate). The Leandros made it clear that they’re not looking to become the next Baskin Robbins. They just want to gain more business experience and cool the city off by piling extra scoops into their customers’ waffle cones.
“We’re just two fat guys with a scoop,” Leandro Sr. said. “We’re not trying to make millions. We just want to become a part of the community and make people happy with some good ice cream.”
