What started as a retirement hobby for Sheilia Royal has quickly turned into one of the area’s newest mobile dessert businesses.
Royal recently launched BooGi Bliss, an artisan ice cream trailer serving handcrafted flavors at weddings, graduation parties, community events, pop-ups, and private gatherings throughout the region.
“It’s the fun side of life,” Royal said. “I retired in September, and I’ve just been looking for something fun, and this is it.”
The business officially received its permit just weeks ago, but Royal said demand has already exceeded expectations.
“I already have people asking me where they can get it through the week,” she said. “They want to know what my schedule is because they’re like, ‘We’re addicted.’”
BooGi Bliss features artisan ice cream produced by Bliss Artisan Ice Cream in Tell City, Indiana. Royal said the handcrafted process and use of real ingredients are what originally drew her to the product.
“I could not get over how great it was,” Royal said. “It’s not your typical ice cream. It’s very creamy, and they use actual ingredients in it.”
Some flavors include real baked goods folded directly into the ice cream, including a pecan pie flavor that contains an entire pecan pie blended into each batch.
One of the business’s signature flavors is Wedding Bliss, a vanilla-based ice cream with buttercream icing and raspberry swirl that Royal said tastes like wedding cake.
Other popular flavors include Mississippi Mud, Chunk of Dough, caramel praline pecan, lavender honey, coffee bean, and pecan pie. BooGi Bliss also offers dairy-free and gluten-free options.
Royal said the business name was inspired by family nicknames. Her husband became known as “BooBoo” through the couple’s grandchildren, while Royal goes by “GiGi.”
“This was started by BooBoo and GiGi, but it’s really a family business,” Royal said.
She said her daughter-in-law, Brooklyn Royal, is involved in the business, and the family’s grandchildren are expected to help scoop ice cream at events and future locations.
The business originally began with a small ice cream cart used for weddings and private events before expanding into a larger mobile operation.
Royal said health department requirements eventually led her to purchase and renovate a full trailer, which she transformed into a boutique-style mobile ice cream shop.
Now, she hopes the growing popularity of BooGi Bliss eventually leads to a permanent storefront.
“One day, when our following gets big enough, we will have a scoop shop,” Royal said.
In the meantime, BooGi Bliss is focusing on building its presence through community partnerships and local events.
Royal recently partnered with Crazy Me Gifts & Apparel and plans to set up in the business’s parking lot multiple times each week this summer. The businesses are also hosting weekly giveaways.
“We’re so excited to partner with another woman-owned local business,” said Donna Southard of Crazy Me Gifts & Apparel. “When Sheilia approached me with the idea, I immediately thought what a perfect fit — our fun, crazy gift shop atmosphere paired with the sweet treats from Doezie Doez just made sense. After all, grabbing the perfect gift and the perfect snack at the same time feels like a win-win. We love supporting fellow local businesses and creating fun experiences for our community.”
Royal said BooGi Bliss is also creating a specialty dessert inspired by Crazy Me Gifts that will be announced later this summer.
The trailer is scheduled to appear at several events in the coming months, including the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market food truck event on June 20, the Wright Implement tractor pull in August, and the Lampkin tractor pull on October 3.
Royal said she plans to begin posting a regular weekly schedule on the BooGi Bliss Facebook page as bookings continue to grow.
“The fun part is the following,” Royal said. “The fun part is the people already saying, ‘Where can I get this through the week?’”
