For Jonathan and Chelsea Boes, members of the inaugural cohort for McDowell Technical Community College’s Accelerate and Innovate Bootcamp, entrepreneurship began not with a business plan—but with a novel.

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Jonathan traces the inspiration for their new ice cream venture, The Scream, to Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry. The story of a small-town barber deeply invested in his Kentucky community resonated strongly with him. The novel’s themes of belonging, loving one’s place, and creating something tangible that serves neighbors sparked the couple’s desire to build a small business rooted in Old Fort.

Both Jonathan and Chelsea work full-time for World Magazine, producing Christian worldview-based news and multimedia content for children and teens. They have a deep love for literature and reading and host two book clubs in their home through their church community—one for children and one for adults.

While Chelsea and Jonathan will share many production and operational duties in their new business, Chelsea credits Jonathan as the creative genius in charge of “product development” for The Scream. As Jonathan began developing new ice cream confections, their children’s book club quickly became a testing ground for his creative flavor combinations. After dinner, members of the children’s book club have happily sampled Jonathan’s experimental ice cream flavors over book club conversations. One surprising favorite among young taste-testers? Avocado dark chocolate.

Jonathan and Chelsea craft all their ice cream at a certified commercial kitchen where they house their ice cream machine. The couple plans to operate their ice cream trailer on weekends in and around Old Fort, as well as at local festivals and community events. Their debut is planned for mid-to-late April.

For a local literary festival on April 25th, The Scream may feature one or more special book-themed flavors inspired by titles such as Dune, Narnia, Paddington, and Frankenstein or other similar books. Those literary creations will likely be event-specific. Their broader menu will include both traditional favorites and inventive signature flavors designed to appeal to a wide range of tastes.

One signature offering, the Catawba Falls Trail Mix flavor—made with toasted walnuts, chocolate-covered pretzels, and maple syrup—was developed specifically with visitors to Catawba Falls in mind. The couple hopes the concoction will be a fun, memorable treat for hikers and travelers exploring the Old Fort area.

With a nostalgic aesthetic influenced by 1980s and 1990s punk culture and a logo designed by local artist Julia Waitt, The Scream reflects both creativity and community connection. Jonathan and Chelsea are transforming a literary-inspired vision into a practical, community-centered small business, one scoop at a time. Look for them soon on a sidewalk near you, Right Where They Belong.

For more information on the Accelerate and Innovate Bootcamp or to register for the next cohort, visit mcdowelltech.edu/small-business-center or contact Terry Valentino at 828-652-0634 or [email protected].

Source: McDowell Tech