Resurrecting the past in ‘kool’ fashion

A “blast from the past” has made its way to River Falls and Ellsworth this summer.

It’s in the form of an ice cream truck that some residents have already heard and seen driven through the two cities, a total of four times a week, with its owners selling ice cold novelty items.

The truck is the brainchild of Ellsworth natives Ken and Barb Wilson, who have named the business “Ken’s Keep Kool.”

Ken explained a friend of his had been trying to convince him to buy a truck for nearly five years until he recently said yes.

“Someone told us, ‘I thought they were a thing of the past,’” he said. “Well, we resurrected it.”

He said the reactions to his new enterprise have been noteworthy.

“We’ve gotten (everything from) looks of amazement (and) surprise to what is it?” Wilson said. He said a family even chased them down recently from the Ellsworth Public Library to St. Francis Catholic Church just to make a purchase.

Part of the amazement likely comes from the music playing over the truck’s speakers. Wilson said they are catering to a young audience with tunes like “Shoo Fly, Don’t Bother Me,” “Jimmy Crack Corn and I Don’t Care” and “Baa, Baa Black Sheep.”

“It’s happy music,” Barb said.

The truck will make its way through River Falls Thursdays and Saturdays; Ellsworth on Wednesdays and Sundays, and more if needed. The couple will drive through neighborhoods, near public pools and Little League games, usually beginning after the noon hour and continuing through until just before dusk.

“We don’t want to spoil anyone’s lunch,” Ken said about the starting time.

They also plan on hitting Baldwin and Roberts at some point in time, and will continue the operation, “Weather permitting, through October,” added Wilson.

“We owned an ice cream truck back in 1984-1985 and had a lot of fun back then,” Ken explained. “We hope to have more of the same.”

When he’s not out peddling his “kool” wares, Wilson works as a cook at the Ellsworth Care Center.

For more information, give the Wilsons a call at 715-273-6692.

Tags: river falls, new business, business, food, ellsworth