2014 MISS VANCOUVER RODEO, Amanda Knapp, and her horse Carter, are shown here ordering ice cream from Sweet Tooth Ice Cream. Photo courtesy of Scott Wessa
KIM WESSA is shown here at the helm of Sweet Tooth’s ice cream boat, which runs along the Columbia River in July and August. Photo courtesy of Scott Wessa
NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN are seen here ordering ice cream from Kim Wessa, co-owner of Sweet Tooth Ice Cream. Photo courtesy of Scott Wessa
Sweet Tooth Ice Cream has been affectionately dubbed Life at the Curb by owners Scott and Kim Wessa and their children.
These long-time Battle Ground residents have seen over the years, through their many interactions, how something as simple as an ice cream treat purchased on the corner can bring neighbors together and strengthen communities.
Back in 1994, after selling a successful business, Scott was presented with the opportunity to purchase an ice cream truck. The previous owner had fallen ill but she was able to share some tricks of the trade including where to purchase supplies. Their children named the business and Scott thought it’d be a fun adventure to share with his teenaged daughters, Lindsey and Brianna.
He soon learned that once a person owns an ice cream truck, others seem to appear. They now operate three and have several more available for parts.
March through October, Sweet Tooth trucks can be seen frequenting neighborhoods from Fisher’s Landing in the east to Battle Ground and Yacolt in North Clark County. To encourage regular customers, routes are driven in each neighborhood on specific days at specific times.
Riding in an ice cream truck is an eye-opening experience. This reporter was able to see first-hand what Scott refers to as the ice cream dance.
“That’s when you turn the corner and they finally see you,” Scott said. “They’ve heard the music for 20 minutes but they finally see you and you get limbs shaking. It’s just funny as heck.”
Regular customers are aware of Sweet Tooth’s practice of taking the tips they receive and buying ice cream for children that don’t have the money, or come up a little short of the full price. This reporter witnessed a lady give Kim an extra amount, it was recorded along with her name and a few stops later Kim gave a free ice cream to a child in a group that came up short, being sure to tell that child the name of the person who bought it for her. Parents’ permission is asked for first, of course.
Throughout the 10 years they’ve operated the business, Sweet Tooth has given all dog customers bones. They’ve developed a following as dogs tune in to the timing of the route. Kim relayed a story of a dog that would meet her truck regularly. One day, she came running down the drive particularly excited with her owner hot on her heels. When the lady finally caught up with her, she exclaimed to Kim that her dog had just finished giving birth to the last puppy in her litter 15 minutes prior. Kim summed it up to the dog wanting her to meet her new puppies.
Answers to the top three questions posed to the Wessas are that:
• Music Box Dancer is the name of the song played on the trucks;
• The drivers get used to the song;
• And, strawberry shortcake is the most popular ice cream of the 50 choices available.
What many area residents might not know is that the electronic version of a five-song medley including Little Mermaid, The Chicken Dance and The Hokey Pokey plays on Sweet Tooth’s ice cream boat. As Scott tells it, about six years ago there was a stretch of 100-degree weather that proved too hot for the ice cream trucks to run in. His family decided to take their fishing boat on the water and bring their ice cream with them. In a matter of hours they’d nearly sold out of their supply.
Since then, Sweet Tooth’s ice cream boat services all the beaches along Sauvie Island in July and August and Scott says it’s the biggest ego trip.
“We pull up on the beaches and people line up 50 at a time and people tell you ‘You are the smartest business person in the whole world,’” Scott said.
The Wessas also offer wholesale distribution to places like Little League fields, high school concessions, booster clubs and student stores as well as special events, catering and fundraisers like Relay for Life.
With all the different aspects of Sweet Tooth that the Wessas have created, it always comes back to Life at the Curb. Scott says that ice cream is a magnet for bringing neighbors together.
Kim has helped kids who’ve fallen off their bikes and scraped their knee. She makes sure to wave at everyone and she wins over even the sourest-looking folks by the end of a season with her jovial persistence.
Given the fact that their main customer base ranges from 3-10 years old, the Wessas realize that their trucks are often the first stop of commerce for a lot of young people. Having employees with integrity is essential. After this reporter’s brief shift on the truck, Kim summed it up best.
“I’ve always loved this job because joy comes running at you,” Kim said.
