Before Chill … The Milkshake Bar opened its doors nearly two years ago, one of its largest suppliers predicted the restaurant would not be successful.
“He sat down and goes, ‘I just want you to know you’re probably going to fail,’” owner Kassie Boyd said. “‘I open maybe 25 of these ice cream shops a year and maybe one or two survive.’ As soon as he said that I thought, ‘No, we’re going to prove you wrong.’”
The ice cream parlor has been profitable from day one; the business has grown to 12 employees and is looking to add another location closer to Hwy. 249, Kassie Boyd said. She attributed the success of her small business to serving a lunch menu and the eatery’s family-friendly environment.
“It’s not just a place for people to come after dinner or when they just have that sweet tooth because we have our waffle bar and grilled cheese bar and our hot dogs,” she said. “[Chill] just offers a wide variety.”
Known for its milkshakes, Chill offers traditional ice cream flavors, such as chocolate, cookies ‘n’ cream and vanilla, that can be mixed in four-scoop combinations with other flavors. With its selection of toppings and ice creams, there are more than 100 milkshake possibilities.
When starting the business, Kassie—who is in her first food industry venture—said she did not have to look far for quality employees.
Her teenage son Sterling serves as a manager; her daughter Savannah is a team member; and her niece Ciara helped with the redesign. Customers might also see her younger children Stefan, 13, and Skye, 11, grilling cheese or Shep, 6, cleaning tables on a Friday evening.
That was the design of Chill from the beginning, Kassie said.
The Chill owner created the eatery so Sterling could learn the value of hard work and challenges of being an entrepreneur while earning money without working on Sundays, she said.
Running the eatery has not always been easy, Kassie said. She worked nonstop the first six months, and scheduling was a challenge. However, she said opening Chill had the desired effect. Sterling is still deciding which aspect of business he wants to enter, but he knows how hard it is to succeed.
“I’m always on standby, even when I’m not scheduled,” Sterling said. “I’m always on call if we need some help. I always have my [cell] phone ready.”
In addition to milkshakes and lunch items, Chill offers specials and hosts events for its customers, such as Guitar Night on Fridays, half-price specials for veterans and community events, including book club meetings and drama club meetings for Klein ISD schools, Kassie said.
“We don’t have TVs in here,” she said. “It’s all about grabbing cards, grabbing a board game and building relationships. We’re like a little hangout spot for families and teenagers.”
