When the Twirlees Ice Cream trailer was gone for a few days last week, some local residents were worried.
But the easily recognizable unit (that quickly became landmark after opening for business last June) is back in place and open again in its space between the two gas stations on U.S. 63 in Houston. This year it’s under new ownership, as Plato residents David and Tabby Hall purchased it from local businessman Tony Bieller.
David is vice president and a commercial loan officer at Landmark Bank in Houston and Tabby is a paraprofessional and volleyball coach at Plato Schools. Twirlees will remain family-run, with Tabby more or less in charge and assistance provided by daughters Quincy (16) and Kennedy (13), and niece, Allie Hall (15).
“Everybody really loves this place,” Tabby said, “and I thought this would be a great opportunity for my kids to learn how to run a business and how the business world works, and to teach them customer service.”
The Hall’s approach to operating Twirlees will be similar to Bieller’s, with a menu featuring sundaes, shakes, floats, swirl cones and several flavors of the famous Twirlee (with the ice cream products leaning a little closer to custard than traditional ice cream).
“Everybody loved what Tony and his family did,” Tabby said, “so we’re going to mimic that.”
The picnic tables adjacent to the trailers will soon bear a new coat of paint and be sheltered by umbrellas.
Twirlees reopened last Saturday and will be open from 3 to 8 p.m. weekday evenings and longer on Fridays and Saturdays. The phone number is 417-588-7696.
Bieller will continue to own and operate two restaurants: TQ’s House of Barbecue in Houston and Savor Grill in West Plains.
“Everybody really loves this place…Everybody loved what Tony and his family did, so we’re going to mimic that.”
– TABBY HALL