BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Summer will be here before we know it, and you'll probably be standing in line for Louisiana's sweet treat, the Snowball. Local stands offer 70 flavors as well as traditional favorites like hot dogs, milkshakes and nachos.
Zane Clayton, 19, owner of Meltdown Snowballs, which was voted the No. 1 best snowball in Louisiana, said his customers keep coming back. The business started when Clayton was just in high school, looking to balance bookkeeping and business.
“When I hand it out the window, I always hear customers say, 'The ice is so soft,' and that's the first impression,” Clayton said. “And beyond just the ice, our customer service is second to none.”
Clayton had just turned 16 when he began operating his first stand at Brusley.
“When I was in middle school, we used to stop by this local snowball stand every day. I love snowballs, especially coming from Louisiana,” Clayton said. “It was kind of a passion and a hobby, but it turned into something I never imagined.”
This hobby earned him the title of boss and led him to open more stores in the Baton Rouge area.
“Sometimes I get busy and I'm not trying to be mean because I'm a really nice person, but for the most part they're understanding and I have a really great support system – family, friends, grandparents. I have a lot of people on my team who help behind the scenes,” Clayton said.
Although the journey has been rewarding, he said entrepreneurship is not easy.
“When it comes to being an entrepreneur or a boss like yourself, most people think they just have a leisurely life, but behind the scenes that's not the case. It's very busy. It's a title that has to be earned. Something like that,” Clayton said.
Clayton hit his first six figures by the age of 17 and celebrated in style by purchasing a new car, a 2022 C8 Corvette. Since his purchase, he said he has been saving money, investing it and putting it back into the business.
Business is good, with lines as long as the sun is out, and Clayton said he works seven days a week.
“I’m kind of on the scene making sure everything is running smoothly until I go out the window and a snowball comes out the back,” Clayton said.
You can find piles of fluffy shaved ice almost anywhere in Louisiana, but Clayton said that's one thing that sets it apart.
“Our ice is very finely ground and very soft. In fact, it's probably the softest ice available in Louisiana,” Clayton said.
Despite building a snowballing empire with this success rate, Creighton said college will likely be on the back burner.
Meanwhile, The Meltdown Snoballs' expansion is just beginning.
“We're going to every city in this state and then Texas,” Clayton said.
location
Wild: Brusly's 6243 La-1.
Baton Rouge: 2625 Highland Road, Baton Rouge.
“melt mobile”: A mobile trailer that supplies snowballs in various locations.
Hours of operation are noon to 7pm at all locations, seven days a week.
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