09/21/2026
🍦 **An Important Update from Gigi N’ Pops Scoop Shop**
Many of you have asked why the Gigi N’ Pops truck is no longer operating. We believe our community deserves an honest and factual update.
When we launched Gigi N’ Pops Scoop Shop, we invested in a **brand-new Chevrolet BrightDrop 600**, plus **more than $81,000 in the uplift/conversion performed by Concession Nation Inc in Deerfield Beach, Florida**. We made that investment believing we were building a safe, dependable, all-electric mobile ice cream truck that would serve our family, our business, and the Knoxville community for many years.
Unfortunately, we have now learned that the BrightDrop was delivered to us **overweight**.
The manufacturer-rated GVWR of our BrightDrop is **11,000 lbs**.
A certified scale showed:
**Front axle: 4,320 lbs**
**Rear axle: 7,140 lbs**
**Gross weight: 11,460 lbs**
That means the truck was already **460 lbs over its GVWR before adding the normal operating load required to run our business** — ice cream, bottled drinks, water, treats, toppings, supplies, a driver, or passengers.
Even more concerning, the rear axle weighed **7,140 lbs against an approximately 6,172-lb rear axle rating — about 968 lbs over.**
The truck was weighed as Concession Nation Inc built and delivered it. The only material equipment addition was our Vitamix milkshake machine, which **Concession Nation Inc itself installed when we returned the truck for warranty work on August 31, 2026.**
Concession Nation has acknowledged that the truck was visibly leaning toward the rear during the original build. They recommended and arranged for rear airbags to be installed.
We understood those airbags to be **helper/leveling bags** intended to help the truck sit level because one side appeared somewhat heavier or lower than the other.
We were never told that the truck was overweight, that the rear axle was overloaded, or that there was no remaining payload capacity for the ice cream, water, supplies, and people necessary to actually operate the business.
**Had we known that, we never would have accepted delivery of the completed conversion.**
Over time, the airbags began losing pressure. At first, we did not understand that adding air every few weeks was abnormal. On August 11, 2026, a local Knoxville mechanic shop inspected the system and noted a **small leak/tear in one of the airbags**.
We notified Concession Nation Inc and returned the truck to Florida on **August 31, 2026**, for inspection and warranty work.
After inspecting the airbag issue, Concession Nation Inc did not tell us that the truck was unsafe to drive, that it was overweight, that the rear axle was overloaded, that the frame needed to be inspected, or that the vehicle should be taken out of service.
Instead, replacement airbags were arranged and shipped to Tennessee.
Before those replacement airbags could be installed by a local mechanic, **significant structural frame cracking was discovered**, and the installation was immediately stopped.
Dalton Collision subsequently evaluated the vehicle and submitted photographs and information to GM.
GM Engineering responded that the damaged structural components shown are **inboard of serviceable structural components, are not serviced, and that no repair/replacement recommendation could be provided.**
The truck is now **out of service, and Gigi N’ Pops is effectively shut down.**
We continue paying for our website, platforms, subscriptions, insurance, and other expenses required to maintain the business while losing events, revenue, and opportunities to serve our community.
There is also a safety aspect that is difficult for us to process.
Jeannette and I drove this truck believing that a professionally completed conversion was safe and suitable for its intended purpose. We now know that it was already over its GVWR before normal products, supplies, and occupants were added.
That means we unknowingly operated a vehicle carrying excessive weight, including substantial weight concentrated over the rear axle. The potential risk to us, our passengers, other motorists, and people around the truck is deeply concerning.
There is also the emotional and reputational impact of suddenly being unable to show up for the community we worked so hard to serve. Gigi N’ Pops was built around being dependable — showing up at schools, neighborhoods, festivals, community events, and celebrations with **A Scoop And A Smile**.
Being forced to cancel opportunities and remain shut down affects much more than revenue. It affects the consistency and trust we have worked hard to build.
We are not interested in arguments or finger-pointing.
We are asking Concession Nation Inc to **do the right thing, operate with integrity, stand behind its work, and turn this matter over to all applicable liability insurance carriers so the claim can be properly addressed.**
Based on the certified weight, rear axle overload, condition observed during the original build, airbag issues, and resulting structural damage, **we hold Concession Nation Inc responsible for the condition in which this vehicle was built and delivered and for the resulting losses to our business.**
We are preserving the evidence, obtaining professional evaluations, documenting our losses, and pursuing the appropriate insurance and legal channels until this matter is properly resolved.
We are heartbroken that Gigi N’ Pops is currently unable to serve Knoxville, but we are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us, invited us to events, purchased ice cream, shared our posts, and believed in our dream.
**All we are asking now is that Concession Nation Inc stand behind its work and help make this right.**
Thank you for continuing to support Gigi N’ Pops. 💗🍦💙
Brian & Jeannette Marshall
Gigi N’ Pops Scoop Shop
