Today, our business is booming with a fleet of five Mik Mart Ice Cream trucks and a brick-and-mortar store in Saint Paul Park—but it hasn’t always been that way. Mik Mart Ice Cream started out on a much smaller scale, beginning as what sounded like a far-fetched dream. With some hard work and plenty of fun along the way, we turned that dream into a reality!
When our son, Mik, went to boarding school to play hockey at 13 years old, he quickly came up with a way to make some money for himself. When he came home on the weekends, we’d head to the store to buy drinks, snacks, gum, and other treats in bulk. Back at school, he’d sell these items to his friends for a profit, which eventually earned him the name Mik Mart.
In 2009, the cost of school was getting to be too much. Mik was 16, so he decided that it was time he began helping to pay for some of his schooling. His idea was practical yet fun: starting an ice cream truck business. So, with one truck, a small cash box, and a few ice cream offerings, Mik Mart Ice Cream was founded, and we hit the road to sell in local neighborhoods.
Although business has since expanded, our core values have stayed the same. We will always have items in the trucks and store as low as $1, because everybody deserves a treat, no matter their financial standing. As a family-owned, local business, we genuinely care about our customers and our community.
After a few years, Mik sold the business to us, but he, along with his siblings, remains on the Board of Directors. He’s always been a go-getter with big ideas, and although he doesn’t work in the shop or trucks, it’s his heart that started this business. He has loved watching us grow over the last few years and enjoys getting to talk about what’s next for Mik Mart.
We are so grateful for the customers we’ve met and the friends we’ve made along the way. Your support and love for our business means the world to us, and we can’t wait to see you at the store or one of our trucks soon!