By Clara Goode

From the time it first opened in 1987, Summer Snow has been an icon of Tuscaloosa.

Sammy Sanders, the current owner, said Summer Snow was started by a man from Louisiana. Sanders said his father first bought the company in 1989. Since then, Sanders’ father has left the company in his son’s hands and begun dabbling in the car business.

Sanders said what he loves most about owning Summer Snow is that it attracts such interesting and happy people.

“A lot of unusual things happen that I love,” Sanders said. “This is something fun everyone enjoys.”

Sanders went on to tell the stories of some of his customers who have stopped by to get a snowball. They range in age from infants brought by their parents to adults as old as 100 who were brought by their nursing assistant.

According to Sanders, he has seen everything from a couple bringing their newborn baby by on the way home from the hospital to realtors stopping by with their clients on the way to show them houses.

One of the most interesting things about Summer Snow, Sanders said, is the collection of pictures framed on the outside wall of the building. The tradition started when a young man brought a picture of himself in Israel holding a sign that read, “I want Summer Snow.” Sanders taped the picture up, and soon everyone was bringing him photos from several different places.

“I’ve had kids bring me pictures from in front of the Eiffel Tower, Mount Rushmore and the Coliseum in Rome,” Sanders said. “People like to see their pictures.”

Sanders said one girl came back and told him that she felt like a star because her friends and family had seen her picture at Summer Snow. According to Sanders, from around 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day during the summer, there is always a line, sometimes around 40 people deep.

Sanders said that the University has greatly contributed to his customers, and many of the people who go there are college students.

Christopher Hydrick, a junior majoring in international relations, said he enjoys going to Summer Snow when he gets done with class.

“I like going there because it has a really relaxing atmosphere,” Hydrick said. “It’s nice to be around after a stressful day of classes.”

Sanders said that Summer Snow has become somewhat of a hangout for high school kids. He said many of Summer Snow’s customers are regulars, and some even bring back their own children years later.

“It blows my mind how much people enjoy this place,” Sanders said. “I really like being a part of it.”

Sanders said Summer Snow offers 42 flavors, and one of his favorite projects was the VIP List. The list includes all the combinations of flavors that have been made during the 21 years that Sanders has owned the place.

“It started when my dad made the ‘Caboose Special,’” Sanders said. “Then we just kind of continued the tradition.”

Summer Snow is open from March until early October, and they are open six days weekly, excluding Sundays.

“I enjoy owning Summer Snow because of the experiences that go along with that,” Sanders said.