LEXINGTON, Ky. — A decade ago, Mike and Toa Green, owners of Lexington’s Thai Orchid Cafe, wanted to offer an ice cream that paired well with the food served in their restaurant. So, they began serving coconut ice cream made from a $60 two-quart Cuisinart ice cream maker.
What You Need To Know
- Owners started making coconut ice cream to pair with Thai food
- Service evolved into a cart-and-tent operation set up at events
- Crank & Boom Ice Cream now has two locations
- Named 2021 Small Business of the Year by Commerce Lexington
Two years later, in 2013, the ice cream had gotten so popular that the Greens launched Crank & Boom Ice Cream as a mobile cart-and-tent operation set up at local festivals, weddings and other events.
As Crank & Boom’s popularity grew, a wholesale division was added, and the team expanded. Since then, Crank & Boom has exploded into a growing business with two locations — Manchester Street and Clays Mill — and was named Lexington’s 2021 Small Business of the Year by Commerce Lexington.
Crank & Boom marketing guru Kristy Maggard said there are many reasons Crank & Boom has legions of loyal customers and has become a destination for tourists and travelers: Flavor. Crank & Boom’s unique offerings are made from local, all-natural ingredients, such as Kentucky dairy from JD Country Milk, blackberry jam from Windstone Farms, strawberries from VanMeter Family Farms and honey from Hosey’s Honey in Midway.
Crank & Boom has small-batch offerings every Friday and a variety of signature and seasonal flavors.
“At both locations, we do adult ice cream cocktails for people over 21, which are super fun,” Maggard said. “We call them our boozy floats, and spiked scoops and all that kind of stuff. We always try, with all of our products, to incorporate local aspects and partner with local people and places.”
Crank & Boom adjusted its operation for COVID-19 and now offers curbside pickup and online orders through goldbelly.com.
“The beauty of ice cream is there's no set demographic — everybody loves it,” Haggard said. “That's exactly what we are. We are in the business of pleasing all and with lots of good flavors. Ice cream has a cultural influence and cultural impact in the United States.”
Crank & Boom — “Crank” from the nickname of a friend of owner Tao Green, and “Boom” from the flavor of the ice cream — has donated to more than 50 local charities. Two dollars from every pint of the small batches sold goes back to a local charity or cause.