Happy Ice has reached a major milestone after opening the first permanent dessert location at Downtown Disney owned by a Black entrepreneur. The new location opened on June 19, giving the growing frozen dessert brand a permanent place inside the popular shopping and entertainment district at Disneyland Resort.
The opening also took place on Juneteenth, making the occasion even more meaningful. Founded by entrepreneur Lemeir Mitchell, Happy Ice has grown from a single food truck into one of Southern California’s fastest-growing independently owned frozen dessert businesses.
Happy Ice reaches a major Downtown Disney milestone
The new Happy Ice location marks an important achievement for the company. It is the first Black-owned dessert business to secure a permanent location at Downtown Disney, a destination visited by millions of people every year.
The business first introduced its products at Downtown Disney through temporary pop-up events. However, continued customer support helped the company earn a permanent space, showing how far the brand has come since its early days.
From a food truck to a growing dessert brand
Mitchell launched Happy Ice as a food truck in Los Angeles in 2017. His goal was to introduce Philadelphia-style Italian water ice to customers across Southern California.
Over the years, the business expanded into several storefronts while also serving customers at festivals and special events. Today, Happy Ice is recognized as one of the region’s fastest-growing independently owned frozen dessert brands.
Downtown Disney menu features all-natural treats
The Downtown Disney location introduces Happy Ice’s first fully all-natural menu. The handcrafted water ice is made with real fruit and pure cane sugar.
Customers can also enjoy JOY-LATI, a layered dessert that combines Italian ice, vanilla sweet cream, fresh fruit and different toppings. The company also celebrated its grand opening by giving away promotional gifts to early visitors. The location is expected to operate daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Lemeir Mitchell reflects on the journey
Mitchell said opening inside Downtown Disney fulfilled a childhood dream because he grew up loving Disney.
“I grew up a huge Disney kid, so opening Happy Ice at Downtown Disney is truly a full-circle moment,” Mitchell said.
He added that he created Happy Ice to bring people together through desserts that create happy memories.
“I started this business to bring people together and to create lasting memories through desserts that make people smile.”
Mitchell also said the company’s values focus on happiness, hospitality and community. He believes those values fit well with Disney’s family-friendly environment.
The Downtown Disney opening marks another important step in Mitchell’s business journey. What started as one food truck has grown into a successful dessert company with a permanent presence at one of America’s best-known entertainment destinations.
