El Paso business owner turns snow dreams into business reality

EL PASO, Texas – Kenny Broomfield always dreamed of owning his own shaved ice business.

"Me and my brothers had a snow cone stand way back when I was like 7 or 8 years old so it's always been implanted in my mind," Broomfield said.

Big dreams and a lot of ambition led Broomfield to his dream come true.

He opened Blue Collar Shaved Ice in 2013 as a food truck.

Nine years later, Broomfield owns multiple food trucks and a Sunland Park store he opened during the pandemic.

"My thing is you always have to be willing to adapt," Broomfield said

When cautious customers stayed home, Broomfield worked all day driving through the city and personally delivering his treats.

Those long hours paid off, earning him enough money to open his first store.

The best part of it, he says is the customers.

Broomfield says, "When their face just lights up!" when they say, "Oh my gosh! Where have you been my whole life?"

Broomfield says his favorite customer reaction came from a 65-year-old man passing through on his way to Denver.

"Out of my 65 years of living this is the best thing that I've ever eaten!" Broomfield recalls the customer saying.

Owning a business has come with a lot of success but Broomfield says it can be challenging.

Broomfield says working multiple roles in the business while holding down another full-time job can be overwhelming.

He says he has a ton of support from his family and customers but knows that he can't please everyone.

Broomfield says, "You have to be almost bulletproof as a business owner, especially a minority here in this city'"

Broomfield says, "You just have to stay positive and know and believe in your product and know the customer will come based on your product and if they don't come based of the color of my skin or these things then the product is not for them, and you just move on to the next person."

If you're craving a little taste of summer now, you can visit Blue Collar Shaved Ice at Sunland Park Mall or be on the lookout for Blue Collar Shaved Ice trucks.