Statesville.com - Statesville Record and Landmark

HomeNewsEntertainmentSportsLifestylesOpinionCommunityWeather Online Tools Jobs | Real Estate | Shopping | Classified

Rick Reavis brings new flavor of ice cream shop

By Bethany Fuller | Statesville R&L

Published: February 7, 2010

Rick Reavis has tried several routes to find his career niche.

And with his latest venture, he feels like he found something that best balances his life and talents. With a bit of paint, some Christmas lights and help from Mooresville Ice Cream Co., he transformed the Snack Shack into the Sweet & Nutty.

"It's done good things so far," Reavis said of the shop, which is located in the Signal Hill Mall. "When they see the lights, it draws them in. People have walked by and talked about how happy they are that we are here."

Reavis always thought the small snack shop had a lot of potential. He said every time he went by, he would think about the things he would do differently if he got the chance to run it.

Reavis' brother Gary runs Olde Towne Sweets on East Broad Street, and helped him set up his business. Gary has also supplied the baked goods and cotton candy in Sweet & Nutty.

Rick Reavis said he is determined to provide an eatery where people can get good service and a good product at a decent price.

Many mall patrons and employees said they like Reavis' changes, which include changing the brand of ice cream from Hershey's to DeLuxe Ice Cream. The ice cream brand is another tip Reavis picked up from his brother.

"It looks good and the ice cream is good," said Statesville resident Connie Roten. "I'm glad we got it open. I hope we can have it open a long time."

Merle Norman Cosmetics employee Diane Hostetler said she thought Reavis did a nice job renovating the business. She also liked the ice cream change because she grew up on DeLuxe Ice Cream.

Reavis said he recognized the importance of supporting local businesses like Mooresville Ice Cream, which makes the DeLuxe Brand. The Stamey family, which owns a portion of the ice cream manufacturer, has pitched in to help get the business off the ground, he said.

"This ice cream is full-flavored ice cream," he said. "It makes you feel great."