It's not unusual for actors and actresses in Kansas City to pick up side gigs: bartending, modeling, voice-over work, vocal lessons, selling Avon products and so on. One of the city's best leading men has had a successful sideline business -- cleaning homes -- for years. Theater work can be sporadic, you know?
This weekend, actor-singer Seth Golay and his partner, Jason Kralicek (the managing director of the Unicorn Theatre), host the official grand opening of their new business: the only local franchise of the Utah-based Tropical Sno snow-cone stands. The venue is located in Martin City at 13416 Holmes, across from Jack Stack Barbecue.
On Saturday, they will be giving free snow cones away from 2 to 10 p.m.
"I grew up in Pittsburg, Kansas," Golay says, "and I would literally hang out there. It was just a stand with a window that you ordered from. And then you would sit at the picnic tables and enjoy this wonderful shaved ice that was really like eating snow. And I loved the selection of flavors, which was much more creative than the syrups they had at Dairy Queen."
Earlier this year, Golay suddenly had a craving for a Tropical Sno cone and went online to see if there was a location for a franchise in the Kansas City area. He discovered that there was one in Martin City, and it had its own Facebook page. So Golay clicked on the Facebook page and discovered that the owner was selling the business.
"He wanted someone as passionate about Tropical Sno as he was, to take it over. I don't know why, but I wrote to him and told him I was interested."
Golay and Kralicek did some research into the company, calling other franchise owners -- those who kept them open seasonally and others who had year-round businesses. The feedback was positive, and the two young entrepreneurs were, as of last week, in the snow-cone business. But only as a sideline: Kralicek is not leaving his job at the Unicorn Theatre, and Golay is performing in two musicals this summer: Closer Than Ever at the Quality Hill Playhouse and Cinderella at Starlight Theatre.
"We're going to have to hire a couple of part-time employees," Golay says.
Golay and Kralicek will be playing recorded music during the Tropical Sno's business hours, 2 to 10 p.m. daily. But will Golay be singing, too?
"If a customer comes up to the window and I'm there, I'll be glad to sing for them," Golay says. "Anything to build customer loyalty."
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