On July 6, Joe Pauly opened his  Tropical Joe’s Hawaiian Shaved Ice business in the parking lot of Family Video on South National Avenue.

“I started the company for two reasons,” Pauly told FortScott.Biz. “I loved shaved ice, it’s so good and such a fun business where you get to put smiles on faces. And reason two is I have six children, the oldest being 11. My hope is that someday this will be their summer job to teach them about work, business, communication and how to serve people.”

Pauly lives in Pittsburg and wanted to open his first store there.

“However, there is already an established shaved ice business there and my supplier said ‘Why not Fort Scott?’,” Pauly said.  “He had a shaved ice business there for years, Tad’s Shaved Ice, and said it was a great town that supported the business.”

Pauly listened to the advice and went to where the demand was.

“It’s been great,” he said. “The people of Fort Scott love their shaved ice and I am glad to be able to bring it back to them.”

Many people have thanked him for putting the business in Fort Scott.

“Some said they had been driving to Nevada and Pittsburg for shaved ice,” Pauly said.

Pauly plans to remain open through September, he estimated.

The business is open seven days a week from 2 to 10  p.m. and is located at the corner of 18th Street and National Avenue in the Family Video parking lot.