Have you ever found yourself craving a frozen slushie version of your favorite drink? Especially in warmer weather, Icee is almost always nearby and ready to serve you sweet, cool goodness. However, many aren’t aware that Icee and slushy machines were invented right here in Kansas.
Icee got its start in small town Coffeyville, Kansas in Omar Knedlik’s Dairy Queen store where one hardworking man started wanting to keep his sodas cool but ended up with a sensational invention.
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According to the legend, during a particularly hot part of the summer, his sodas were too hot to sell so he put them in the freezer to stay cold for his customers.
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They almost froze, but stayed at the perfect temperature that when opened, they became almost a slush consistency, and became the best drink around during those hot summer days. Meanwhile, his mind went to work on how to mass produce this special slush.
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Being an inventive type of person anyways, Omar went to work to create a machine that kept his drinks at that perfect temperature for his customers who were all too eager to keep buying the almost-frozen drinks. After taking it to a company in Texas to refine it and make more to sell. The company received so many requests they were sure the product was a success.
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Another local, Ruth Taylor, was close friend of Omar and drew up the classic block letter logo with icicles emphasizing just how cold their drinks make you feel. It has remained the symbol for all Icee products ever since.
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Today, you can see this iconic logo almost anywhere, from your local grocery store to fairtime kiosks. It is amazing to see how far this drink creation traveled from the thoughts of a Kansan to this worldwide sensation selling hundreds of millions of drinks every year.
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Though it has since expanded to many flavors and combinations, the original three will always be Coke, cherry, and blue raspberry. Which one is your favorite?
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If you’d like to see more about Coffeyville, check out this historic event that still brings the town together for reenactments to this day.
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Address: Coffeyville, KS 67337, USA
