A local shave ice food truck will open its first brick and mortar location in downtown Bangor next month.
Sawyer’s Shave Ice will open at 173 Park St. in Bangor on May 17, less than a year after owners Julianne and Andrew Sawyer launched the business as a seasonal food truck last June.
After a busy first season, Julianne Sawyer said it became apparent the business needed a permanent location. The couple started looking for a space last August and stumbled upon the open Park Street location when visiting the yarn store across the street.
The shave ice trailer was primarily stationed at the Judson Heights Center on Broadway, near Tractor Supply, but Julianne Sawyer said it was a challenge to update customers on its location and hours of operation each week.
“Now that we have this space, I feel like the possibilities are endless for us,” Julianne Sawyer said.
The Park Street storefront was last occupied by Wicked Brew Cafe before the business closed last September after seven years in business.
The couple decided to bring shave ice to Bangor — their hometown — because they fell in love with the treat when they lived in Hawaii for two years. When they moved back to Bangor in 2022, they wanted to share the dessert with the community.
The treat has the texture of fresh snow and consists of fine, lightly packed shaved ice that’s fluffy enough to absorb syrups and other sweet toppings. Shave ice is different from a snow cone, which is made with crushed ice that doesn’t evenly disperse syrups, often leaving tasteless chunks at the bottom.
“It melts in your mouth,” Julianne Sawyer said. “There isn’t anything like it around here. You have to try it to understand.”
The owners order flavor concentrates, made from cane sugar, from Hawaii and make the syrups in-house, Julianne Sawyer said. The business also offers natural syrups, which don’t have any artificial colors or flavors, and sugar-free options.
Sawyer’s Shave Ice offers nine flavor combinations such as Hana Highway with blue raspberry, lime and watermelon flavors; Lahaina Luau with strawberry, banana and coconut flavors; and P.O.G. with pineapple, orange and guava flavors. Toasted coconut, sweetened condensed milk and li hing mui, a sweet and salty plum powder, are available as toppings.
In the business’ new location, customers will be able to get ice cream at the bottom of their shave ice, which is an add-on usually offered in Hawaii, Julianne Sawyer said.
The couple will continue to offer the trailer for catering public and private events such as weddings, sports tournaments and festivals.
The business will hold a grand opening event at the new location on May 17 from noon to 8 p.m. and offer a 10 percent discount throughout the day. After that, the storefront will be open Wednesday through Sunday from 2 to 8 p.m., though they might expand their hours during the summer.
