Popular Italian ice shop in downtown Perry closing, going fully mobile

Jessica and Patrick Watson launched their popular Sunset Slush of Middle Georgia mobile business in June 2020.

In July 2021, the Perry couple opened a storefront for their Italian ice business at 736 Carroll St., Suite 11, in The Village Shops in downtown Perry.

For the past five years, they’ve operated both aspects of their side-hustle business. He’s a full-time Perry firefighter, and she’s a part-time office clerk at Parkwood Elementary in Warner Robins. They’re also raising four kids.

Now, the Watsons are returning to a fully mobile business, having decided to close the storefront and expand their mobile business.

“We just feel like it was time,” Patrick Watson said. “We wanted to focus more on the mobile side of the business.”

They plan to add a second vehicle this winter.

“That way, next year, we can do multiple events at a time,” Watson said.

The reaction to the storefront closing has been mixed among customers.

“A lot of people, they’re a little sad about it just because they’re able to come and get it whenever they want to just come to the store,” Watson said.

“But a lot of people are excited to see us expand the mobile side because that’s something we used to do a lot in our early days – pop-up events and neighborhood events where people used to follow us around on Facebook. They used to look and see where we were going to be and show up, and that was something fun for them to do.”

The storefront’s last day of operation is Sunday, with final hours from 1 p.m to 6 p.m.

“It’s bittersweet,” Watson said. “You put a lot of work and a lot of effort into building something up, but you just kind of got to go with the flow of business and what makes most sense.

“But it’s also exciting to see how much people really enjoy it. Sometimes I don’t see that because I don’t work the store a whole lot. We have our employees work the store, so it’s nice to see how many people have always done that as a Friday after school kind of routine. Like I said, it’s a bittersweet thing, but I’m excited for the things that are gonna come forward with expanding the mobile; maybe expanding our service area.”

Watson was asked if he thought they’d ever open a storefront again?

“I don’t know; not really,” Watson said. “It was a fun thing, but there’s a lot of overhead that comes with it.

“There’s a lot more, I wouldn’t say headache, but there’s just a lot more that goes into keeping the business operating when you have a brick and mortar.”

“The mobile is a little easier … that kind of moves with my life being full-time working, my wife part-time working, but we also have four kids, so the mobile business allows for us to pick and choose which events that we can go to.”

With the lease being up for renewal at the storefront, the time was right – rather than break a contract down the road, Watson said.

Other issues factored into the decision, including that the Italian ice product is seasonal. A mobile business can easily close during the off season, while a brick and mortar requires continuous upkeep, Watson said.

As for the storefront employees, those who aren’t headed off to college, Watson expects to incorporate them into their mobile business.

While lots of factors go into a successful business, the product is foundational.

Sunset Slush of Middle Georgia offers 34 flavors of Italian ice.

“It’s the texture, the way it’s made,” Watson said. “It’s almost like a sherbert-style texture… It’s not shaved ice, so it’s not crunchy ice. It’s very smooth.

“The flavoring is already mixed in, so there is no, like pouring a flavoring on top. It’s dairy free, gluten free, fat free, all of those things. So it’s a treat that can appeal to a lot of those folks that have certain allergies. It’s peanut free.”

Blue raspberry, strawberry, lemonade, peach, and cotton candy are among the top flavors, Watson said.

Among the choices are four sugar-free flavors: cherry, blue raspberry, watermelon and lemon.

Sunset Slush of Middle Georgia’s coverage area primarily extends about 45 minutes from Perry in Houston County to surrounding counties of Middle Georgia.

Most of the mobile business currently consists of private events, including birthday parties, weddings, school events such as teacher appreciation and field days, and large business events.

With the expansion of their mobile business, Watson expects they’ll be able to increase the volume of events.

The mobile unit also rolls out for downtown Perry events, such as the annual 4th of July celebration and food truck events.

“We’re still going to be doing those, and maybe even be able to expand that side,” Watson said.

The Watsons are independent operators of the Sunset Slush – Classic Italian Ice brand founded as a pushcart vending operation in Brunswick County, North Carolina, in January 2003, according to the company’s website.

Today, more than 140 independent operators are spread out among multiple states, including 10 in Georgia with an additional new independent operator coming to Cochran, according to the website.

Other states include Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia & West Virginia, according to the company’s website. The independent operators run a mix of mobile carts, trailers, trucks and brick-and-mortar storefronts.

For more information and to connect with Sunset Slush of Middle Georgia, check out their business Facebook page. The Facebook page has 8,600 followers.