Some ice cold summer treats will soon be available in Eclectic when Sno Biz Eclectic opens on Friday, April 30, on Kowaliga Road next to Kickin’ Chicken.
Owner Arthur Smith said, who is also a co-owner of Kickin’ Chicken, said the business will operate out of a food trailer attached to back of his truck from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
“The trailer will be stationary this summer, but by the end of the year we will have a brick and mortar Sno Biz,” Smith said.
The plan is to purchase an insulated 10-by-20 or 10-by-40 storage container, which Smith has already found, and outfit it to suit the business. He hopes to have the storage container building completed by the end of the year.
Smith said he decided to open Sno Biz Eclectic because there’s nothing better than a cold, sweet treat in the middle of an Alabama summer. And Eclectic is the perfect location because the business will catch a lot of the Lake Martin traffic.
“I’ve been a pastor in Wetumpka for 29 years,” Smith added. “Everything I do is about ministry, and I learned a long time ago that ministry is not just about preaching or going to church – it’s about meeting the needs of the people. I probably sit down and talk to, and minister to just as many people at Kickin’ Chicken as I do at church. Sno Biz is just another way to reach people and to minister to people.”
For the last two weeks, Smith has been giving away free Sno Biz samples to Kickin’ Chicken customers to give them a taste of what’s to come.
Smith and members of his family purchased Kickin’ Chicken two years ago from the previous owners, and he and his wife moved to Eclectic to immerse themselves into the community.
“We’re looking forward to continuing to serve the people here in Eclectic, who by the way, have been extremely generous to us, especially during this COVID situation,” Smith said. “We’ve had people to come in and bless our waiters with as much as $100 and $500 tips. It’s become like a family. If not for the support of the community at the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans, we might’ve had to shut down.”
