MONROE, N.C. — When Jeff LeBlanc and Pam Sauza bought Dollar Cone, their vision was simple: see the ice cream shop continue making an impact within the community.
However, owning Dollar Cone wasn't cheap at all. From equipment to the lease and to renovations, the couple poured tens of thousands into the ice cream shop. But when their lease agreement fell through, they said everything felt like a loss.
“Initially we were absolutely shattered,” Sauza said. "We didn’t even know how we were going to pick ourselves up.”
After updating their customers on social media about the "impending closure," the Monroe community showed up and supported the Dollar Cone on social media, helping the ice cream shop find a new home.
Vanessa Allen lives in Monroe and tells WCNC Charlotte her family looks forward to Dollar Cone as soon as the shop reopens.
“It’s a family friendly place," Allen said. "You go there and they just make you feel welcome. You just open the door and you just feel it.”
The support from Allen and many others now guides LeBlanc and Sauza as they get back to serving the people they came to know as more than just customers, one scoop at a time.
“The intent was never to get rich," LeBlanc said. "We wanted to be part of the community.”
Contact Myles Harris at mharris5@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.