Passion in Every Pint
“I arrived from Seattle with just $30 in my pocket and a pet rabbit,” said Toni Bogue, founder of Toni’s Sun Valley Ice Cream Co. Immediately enamored by her surroundings, Bogue resolved to find a way to make a living in the Wood River Valley. “I never wanted to leave,” she said.
Bogue started on the path that would lead to her ice cream business during her early days as a server at Ketchum’s Sushi on Second. When the restaurant managers decided they wanted to make their ice cream in house, Bogue readily volunteered.
“I knew I needed a way to make more money if I wanted to stay here, so I grabbed the opportunity,” she explained. “I’ve always really loved ice cream,” Bogue said, “as well as baking and cooking in general.”
Passion for ice cream, in fact, pervades Bogue’s childhood memories. She recalls finding dandelions in the horse pastures on her family’s property in Olympia, Washington. It’s hardly surprising that that little girl found a way to make every wished-for flavor a reality. She quickly built on childhood experiences with homemade ice cream to take her craft to a professional level. “I started playing with recipes and just went crazy with it,” she said.
Bogue’s business soon grew from making ice cream for Sushi on Second to supplying other Ketchum restaurants. A year later, she was also selling in local grocery stores and, in the summer, from her trademark ice cream bike (a hefty pedal-bike with a large ice cream cooler).
Since founding Toni’s Sun Valley Ice Cream Co. in 2014, Bogue has moved on to innovative flavors and is broadening her product range to include treats like custom ice cream cakes and bonbons. Her ice cream is now available in Boise at Whole Foods and the Boise Co-op Scoop Shop. She has an ice cream stand in Hailey (North Main, next to My Home Furnishings) and her ice cream is once again available at Leroy’s Ice Cream (Ketchum Town Square).
Along with her business, Toni’s personal life has also evolved. She is now married, and she and husband Matt Bogue have a two-year-old daughter, Georgia, who is influencing Bogue’s priorities as a businesswoman. “I’m not going to miss out on my daughter’s childhood,” she explained. “I love working and all the challenges, from heavy lifting to cold freezers, but it’s time to keep it all close to home.” Home, however, figures prominently in the business, as Bogue’s family enjoys their ice cream, including Georgia’s toddler-sized portions. Her friendly, fun-loving customers bring the joy full circle, because, as Bogue said, “Grumpy people don’t eat ice cream.”
Toni’s Sun Valley Ice Cream Co.
Sushi on Second
Whole Foods
Boise Co-op | @boisecoop
Leroy’s Ice Cream | @leroys_ice_cream_sv
