David Draper, co-founder of Dreamys Ice Cream in Boone County, strives to give back to the community that has supported his business’s growth over the years.
Draper started his ice cream business in 2019 after his wife, Samantha, noticed that Boone County had fewer creamy whip stores than across the river.
“I’m from the west side of Cincinnati, where there’s creamy whips in every neighborhood, basically,” Samantha said. “There are creamy whips here, but not like I was used to seeing.”
After purchasing a trailer, the couple parked it on a corner in Hebron and sold ice cream to local passersby. Draper said their initial goal was to make enough money to pay for the trailer. The community responded in kind, buying enough ice cream for the Drapers to start setting up at local Boone County events.
Eventually, the business proved to be successful enough for the couple to start exploring the possibility of expanding into a brick-and-mortar storefront. This led them to Burlington.
In late 2019, the Drapers decided to take a chance on an old pawn shop storefront located at 3020 Washington St. in Burlington near the Boone County Justice Center. The pair spent the remainder of the year renovating and beautifying the space for a planned 2020 opening.
By March 2020, the Drapers had invested heavily in their Burlington storefront, hoping it would finally be the year their business truly grew. Despite the initial success of their trailer, the sudden emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic brought Dreamys progress to a halt. At this point, the store had been open for just about a week.
“Me and my wife looked at each other, and we’re like, ‘what are we going to do?’” Draper said.
Then came the pivot. Instead of letting the pandemic crush their business, the Drapers got creative. After attending an ice cream trade show, they started selling “Bundles of Joy,” which are hand-delivered ice cream bundles directly to customers’ homes after they were advised to stay indoors. The bundles included two pints of ice cream, toppings, and cones or cups.
In March 2020 alone, the company sold more than 40,000 pints, David said. The simple concept resonated with families seeking comfort and connection during a challenging time. The success of the deliveries helped bolster Dreamys reputation throughout Boone County as a community-oriented business.
Five years later, the Drapers opened their second store at 2009 Beaver Road in Union, inside the former Beaverlick Trading Post building. Although the store is off the beaten path, the rural location has its advantages, with the Drapers marketing it as a family-friendly destination.
“Ultimately, want to go where the people want us to go,” Draper said.
Draper said he isn’t trying to compete directly with other “mom-and-pop” creamy whip businesses, telling LINK nky that the local ice cream community supports one another. In his view, there’s plenty of market share for everyone.
“We’re big advocates for working together in the ice cream industry,” David said. “We’re very conscious of where we go.”
What started as an ice cream operation out of a trailer has grown into two physical locations and three trucks. Draper said he has plans to expand Dreamys, although he isn’t ready to make any official public announcements as of yet.
“We go for broke,” David said. “We love what we do. We’re passionate about it, and we love this industry, and we love that it supports the community, and the community supports us.”
