By Andy Furman
NKyTribune Reporter
Tony Lamb was born in West Virginia, but says he stepped it up a notch-or-two when he moved to The Commonwealth and attended the University of Kentucky. Then he took a giant leap when he founded Kona Ice.
“Simply put, and I’m not making this up,” the 55-year-old Lamb told the Northern Kentucky Tribune, “I had a bad ice cream truck experience.
“I would lose my mind whenever I saw an ice cream truck as a kid,” he said. “I just thought we could do a better job and ought to resurrect it from the dead.”
Tony Lamb (Photo provided)
Boy did he ever.
Lamb and his company launched its first Kona Entertainment Vehicle (KEV) in Florence featuring a combination of cleanliness, friendliness, and one-of-a-kind experience in 2007.
And on Thursday, February 1 through Saturday February 3 – at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center – Lamb will present The Greatest Snow on Earth.
“It’s our annual Kona Konvention,” he said, “And it’s a circus theme. We’re decking it out to our 1,500 franchisees and guests from all over the country.”
And if you thought it might be a tad too cold to take your shirt off – well, don’t tell that to the troop that’ll invade Covington next week.
“The Take Your Shirt Off” campaign was started by Richard Weaver, an Arkansas franchisee,” Lamb said.
For the past several years, Kona Ice franchisees have brought gently-used clothing items to the Kona Ice Konvention and donated those to their organization. This year, members of the Covington community are invited to donate their own clothing items – in addition to the items donated by franchisees – at the corner of E. River Center Boulevard and Madison Avenue.
“The giveback campaign is basically a donation drive for Fairhaven Rescue Mission,” Weaver said. “As Kona Ice business owners, we each find ways to give back to our respective communities,” said Weaver who spearheaded the initiative. “More than a thousand franchisees make Covington their home for several days throughout Konvention, so it was only natural for us to find a way to give back to this community while we’re here.”
Fairhaven Rescue Mission provides Christ-centered programs that respond to the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of the homeless and hurting men, women and children in Northern Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati area.
A Kona Ice entertainment vehicle
And that’s not all they’re giving back.
“We’ve booked rooms in the Hotel Covington, Ther Embassy Suites, Mariott and The Courtyard,” says Lamb, “And they’re all sold out for Konvention.”
Lamb says he’s turning 1,500 people loose on Friday night, February 2nd.
“Make that we’re turning them, loose on the Covington restaurants,” he said. “We want to share the wealth with the community.”
So how did selling ice become The Greatest Snow on Earth?
“Honestly,” Lamb says, “It’s all about the franchisees. They’ve been great going to local youth groups and schools as well as youth sporting events. They share the proceeds with these groups – and most people don’t do that.”
Oh, there’s more.
The Kona Flavorwave
Since Konvention is in the winter, “Spring and summer are are big selling seasons,” Lamb said. “We’re announcing a new sales product.”
Tom’s Coffee, named for Tony’s dad Thomas – has already hit the road with some 150 Tom’s Travelin’ Coffee Trucks.
And planned to be announced at Konvention – Beverly Ann’s Cookies – named after Tony’s mom – Beverly Ann.
“I never had a problem with my weight,” Tony laughs, “Since I live on Kona Ice and coffee. But these Beverly Ann cookies – wow – chocolate chip and double chocolate. I better watch myself.”
He won’t be alone.
Kona Convention is set for Thursday, Feb. 1, through Saturday, Feb. 3rd at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. It is not open to the public.
