Bend man starts ice cream delivery business amid pandemic

Takes orders by phone or Facebook and delivers 3 days a week

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A Bend man is using inspiration from his childhood to help bring children joy at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daniel Harris, a seasonal contract worker, said it has been difficult finding work because of the pandemic. So last week, he decided to convert a trailer hauled by his convertible into an ice cream delivery service.

Harris calls his business Bend Ice Cream and Glass Bottle Coke Delivery. He currently serves people within the Bend city limits, taking requests by phone or through Facebook, and hands them out following safety guidelines, such as changing his gloves.

“I wanted to do something that would still make me money and be able to fit within the guidelines,” Harris said Sunday. “It would also enable me to give something back to my community that isn’t really prevalent here, and make kids smile in a time they’re not really getting that opportunity.”

On the trailer, there is a battery-operated freezer and a cooler full of glass-bottled Coke. He said he bought the freezer from a Facebook user because they were sold out in stores.

To complete the ice cream setup, he printed or cut out pictures of different ice cream brands and flavors from the packaging and taped them to the freezer. He said he's started making deliveries from 2 to 6 p.m. every Friday through Sunday.

“When you’re seasonal, you kind of have to find work where you can, and this is going to be something seasonal too,” Harris said.

Harris said he chose to sell glass-bottled Coke, instead of the ones in aluminum cans because they taste better and are made with real cane sugar, instead of high-fructose corn syrup.

NewsChannel 21 asked Harris what motivates him to keep the business going during the pandemic.

“It’s the kids,” he said. “They run up and point at what they want. I mean, some of them haven’t had that experience yet.”

Harris said for those who have never seen an ice cream truck in their life, you should yell “Stop!” so he knows you want to buy something. 

“The more I’m out serving you guys, the more I’m able to for people who deserve it, like kids on their birthdays or delivery workers,” Harris said.

He asks the community to make donations or place orders for friends and family members, which he can assemble into “care packages.” You can place your orders from the Facebook page Bend Ice Cream and Glass Bottle Coke Delivery.