05/23/2026
The day started out great! The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the town was bustling. I was ready to tackle the beginning of a very busy and long weekend.
Then I arrived at my pride and joy, Louie's Ice Cream Shop, only to find that, once again, the patio had suffered destruction from the night before. This isnât the first time, and I know it wonât be the last, but I am ready to address it.
At Louieâs, we pride ourselves on providing a welcoming, fun-loving environment that not only offers amazing ice cream but also features a beautiful patio area for the adults to relax and a place for children to play. We work hard to tend the flower beds and trees, keep the furniture free of ice cream, and maintain and stock the play area and toys. However, we often feel disappointed by the continuous disregard for our space.
This morning, I walked in to find our âJust Dirtâ pile turned into a mud pit. In this pit, many of our newly purchased toys were smushed into the mud. I also found many of our beloved stuffed animals caked in mud and water, which I will now have to take home and wash in my personal washing machine. I then quickly discovered mud splatteredâlikely with our spoons and shovels, judging by the overwhelming evidenceâacross the patio ground, trash cans, and patio furniture.
Instead of starting my day focusing on the ice cream delivery and helping set up my staff for a busy weekend, I had to scrub mud off the patio.
I understand that kids want to play in mudâitâs funâbut it should be done in oneâs backyard, not at my business. We strive to provide a fun place for kids by continually supplying toys, tools, and dirt, but we need help from adults and the community to ensure everything is treated with respect. Why canât âJust Dirtâ be enough? Why must it be turned into mud? Why is it acceptable to use our drinking glasses to transport water into the dirt and then leave the cups covered in mud?
We have been dealing with this for years and have said nothing, despite wanting to. We have had windows smashed out of the clubhouse, toys stomped and broken or thrown onto roofs, flower beds trampled, and just yesterday, a youth climbed onto our roof. We are feeling overwhelmed.
After recently reading another business ownerâs concerns about the lack of care for spaces provided for their customersâ children, and then walking into this situation ourselves, we felt the need to speak up.
Yes, we want you to come, relax, and let your children play. We want kids to be kids. But we also ask that when visiting with your children, please keep an eye on them. Help teach them to respect the space and the items provided, and show thanks by picking up after themselves.
