Today we’d like to introduce you to Kona Ice Of Rosedale.
Hi Kona Ice of Rosedale, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
We (Alex McArtor and Nik Diaz) bought our Kona Ice franchise at the beginning of 2024. We bought two trucks out first year and recently purchased our third at the end of 2025. Our longtime friend Tony Leftridge and his family have owned the Kona Ice of Bel Air in Harford County for about 15 years. His only job has been working and now managing their business and he would always express how much he loved his job, so it was a no brainer for us that Kona was the business we wanted to get into. Not only is the job fun, but Kona’s dedication to impacting the community and giving back to the people we serve was the mission and vision we fell in love with. We have been able to meet some amazing people, serve incredible community events, and giveback thousands of dollars to our local schools and communities.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When it comes to starting a business, Kona Corporate made the process super smooth and simple. They guided us through the whole process and provided everything we needed to get up and running. Like every small business, we have our obstacles, primarily staffing. Maintaining a consistent base of drivers and staff is a challenge as most of our team are teachers and students, so staffing becomes more of a challenge when school is still in session. Weather is also another consistent obstacle we face as we are a seasonal business, so we have a pretty limited window in Maryland that we can operate. People don’t want snowballs when it’s cold and rainy!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Kone Ice offers premium shaved ice on-the-go. Our product is different from the typical snowball or snowcone in that our shaving process produces a soft, fluffy ice versus the sometimes hard, compact snowball you would get from your typical snowball stand. Because we are mobile, we are able to service any and every type of event. Birthday and graduation parties, festivals and fairs, corporate events, school field days, community events. There really isn’t an event that we can’t support! The most important part of our business model; however, is that we prioritize giving back to our community. Kona from the top down believes in giving back financially to our community and the people in it. We regularly donate a portion of our sales back to the people that book us. This has allowed teams to get jerseys, teachers to buy supplies, and non-profits to support their missions.
What were you like growing up?
Alex and Nik have been best friends for almost 15 years. We have done almost everything together over that time! As time has passed and we have become husbands and fathers, starting a business together was just the next step in our friendship. We are polar opposites at times, but that is what allows to apply different ideas and specialties to our business.
Pricing:
- Klassic (small) Kona: $4
- King (medium) Kona: $5
- Color Change Kona: $6, $3 refills
- Kowabunga Kona: $7, $3 refills
- Various party and hourly packages
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kona-ice.com/local-site/kona-ice-of-rosedale/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/konaicemd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61558066447527/
