05/31/2026
Tonight we made the decision to close early after one of our employees received a disturbing phone call from someone impersonating law enforcement.
The caller claimed to be a police officer and attempted to convince our employee to assist with an investigation by counting the cash in our store and bringing it to a local drugstore. Thankfully, our employee texted me during the call, and I immediately told her to hang up. We called 911, and officers were on site within 7 minutes. Law enforcement is located just down the road from us, and they are able to respond within minutes when needed.
After speaking with law enforcement, it appears this was a scam—an elaborate and convincing one—but a scam nonetheless. As a business owner, I agree with that assessment. However, my responsibility is not only to protect our business, but also to protect the people who work here.
Closing early on a warm, sunny evening—especially as a seasonal ice cream business—is never an easy decision. But ensuring our employees felt safe and supported was more important than a few extra hours of sales.
Most of our staff are high school and college-aged young women. Situations like this create real fear and emotional stress, and no employee should have to experience that while simply trying to do their job.
Small business owners already face enough challenges. We shouldn't have to worry about scams designed to manipulate and intimidate our employees. Tonight, I'm grateful for a team member who trusted her instincts, stayed calm, and reached out for help.
I also want to encourage other local businesses to make their employees aware of these types of scams. These callers can be very convincing, and a quick conversation about how to respond could prevent someone from becoming a victim. And for anyone considering targeting our business, please know that our building is covered by security cameras, and there are also federal cameras outside due to our location on the corner of Third and Washington streets downtown.
Thank you to the responding officers for their quick response, and thank you to our customers for your understanding. The safety of our staff will always come first.
- Carley, owner
