BOWLING GREEN – If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Though perhaps cliché, this expression is proving true for Neezy’s Freezes, a new ice cream store in Bowling Green.
Neezy’s Freezes, formerly the ice cream shop Sundaze, opened in the fall, adding a new chapter to the ice cream venue’s history.
While to some it may seem strange to establish a new ice cream place in the same venue as one that previously failed, Neezy’s Freezes owner Deniz Ilgin is working to ensure Neezy’s is successful.
Ilgin had the patio area renovated, the parking lot repaved, added to the kitchen and repainted and decorated the interior of the store. But renovations aren’t the only way Ilgin is setting Neezy’s Freezes apart from Sundaze.
Ilgin has co-ownership with her parents, who also own Reynolds Garden Cafe in Toledo. Ilgin believes their experience and guidance will help set her business apart.
“They have so much passion for what they do. That comes across in the food, which I think draws people in,” said Ilgin.
While the venue uses the ice cream machines previously used by Sundaze, Neezy’s Freezes offers more than just ice cream, serving coffee drinks, hot dogs, burgers, barbequed beef, french fries, cookies, cakes and more.
Despite all of Ilgin’s hard work, starting a small business is not without its challenges.
According to the Chamber of Commerce, 18 percent of small businesses close within their first year, 50 percent close after five years, and approximately 65 percent close by their 10th year in business.
While this could be seen as a bleak statistic, Ryan Holley, assistant professor in the College of Business at Bowling Green State University and small business owner, said small business closure or failure is not always because a business couldn’t establish itself; sometimes it’s because the owner is more interested in maximizing profit than in establishing a community staple.
“The small business owner might have a mom-and-pop restaurant, and that’s their entire character, what defines them as a person. Their identity is in this restaurant, where the entrepreneur is just OK. It’s an asset. Let’s sell it,” Holley said.
Ilgin falls into the former category, meaning her desire for the business’s longevity could improve her chances of success.
“I had always worked in my parents’ restaurant, and I really liked that. I liked being able to talk to people and have interpersonal interactions every day instead of being at a desk. And I really like the community that you can build when you own your own business,” Ilgin said.
Holley also highlighted why small businesses may have a tougher time succeeding than large corporations.
“When you take on ownership of a small business, you are responsible for everything. You are the marketing department, the human resources, the operations, the finance. Larger businesses have an ability to attract specialized talent,” Holley said.
“Whereas a small business, you don’t have that, and you might not have access to the same education or depth of knowledge,” he noted.
Neezy’s Freezes is located at 21018 Haskins Rd. More information about the restaurant can be found on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
