SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — On hot summer days in Maine, sometimes nothing is as refreshing as ice cream. However, if you don't want to leave your dogs out of that sweet treat, one woman's small business might be your solution.
It might not be the classic ice cream jingle, but the ring of the bell on Stacey Stolman's e-bike has its customers running, provided they are four-legged and furry.
"There's just a need for this," Stolman said.
From their reactions, it seemed like the pups agreed that Stolman's new mobile doggie ice cream company, Lickity Split Treats, is a hot commodity for many reasons.
"A lot of effort and time and thought is really put into the product, as far as the packaging and how we make it and where we source," Stolman said.
She said she noticed a gap in the market when she struggled to find ice cream that was dog-friendly with safe ingredients.
And she wasn't the only one.
"The blueberries are from Maine. I can read and understand all of the ingredients because they are real ingredients," Beth Richardson, one of Stolman's customers, said.
Richardson was excited when Stolman launched the company a few weeks ago, especially because one of the two flavors is a vegan option, ideal for one of her dogs that can't tolerate dairy.
"They both can get one and they both can have a good time," Richardson said.
"Hippy Harry actually comes from this guy because he is the hippiest dog we know who has a hippy stomach," Stolman said, pointing to her dog Harry.
Both of the flavors "Hippy Hairy" and "Really Rosie" are named after Stolman's dogs and are hand-crafted herself. Stolman said it's a passion project that puts her culinary degree to good use, as well as fuels her desire for something new.
"This year was a crazy year, I lost my dad. I just wanted to do a project that invoked a lot of fun," she said.
There was no shortage of fun for her friends, testing the products with their dogs before the big launch.
"They get hot and tired and so then they get a little treat at the end," Karen Frean, one of Stolman's friends, said.
Frean said she is excited to now see Stolman bring it outside of their circle and watch how it's received in the community.
"She kind of brings the dogs together with her bike and riding and everything. I think more and more people will know about it," Frean said.
The ice cream costs $5 each or 2 for $9, and it's not just for dogs. People can enjoy them, too.
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