Starting today, July 1, Lu’s Ice Cream shop, at the corner of 6th and Main Street in Fort Scott, will have a new menu and new hours.
The business owners, Al and Luanna Niece, recently purchased fudge equipment from Perry’s Pork Rinds (Bronson) and will be making fresh fudge and, in addition, will offer ballpark-inspired food: loaded hot dogs, nachos, paninis, and salads.
New hours are Mondays: closed. Tuesday through Thursday: 3-9 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. They will be closed July 4.
One novel aspect of this business venture is that they employ individuals of all abilities and are committed to creating a workspace where every team member is valued, supported, and empowered to succeed, said Nicole Regan, manager of Lu’s Ice Cream.
Regan is a former special education teacher.
They sell Blue Bell Ice Cream, whose headquarters are in Texas, where the owners, the Nieces, are from.
“The Blue Bell delivery driver said we are the second largest delivery account in this region, second only to Branson, MO,” Regan said.
The response from the community so far has been “incredible”, she said. “The ice cream sales have exceeded our expectations. We are grateful to our customers and community for making this achievement possible.”
The building at 6th and Main was dilapidated until a few years ago, when the Nieces took it on as a project.
It is ideally located directly across from the ballpark that is used consistently throughout the summer.
The Nieces own Niece Equipment in the city’s industrial park and is a leading manufacturer of custom-built water trucks and fuel lube trucks.