Ohana Ice & Treats Opens In Beverly

CHICAGO, IL - A new place for treats has opened in the neighborhood and it may just be the perfect place to take the family on a hot summer day. That's because the name of the new business open at the northwest corner of 103rd and Wood in Beverly literally means family.

Ohana Ice & Treats has been up and running for two weeks now, with a ribbon cutting event planned for Saturday morning to celebrate their opening.

The name - "Ohana" - means "family" in Hawaiian culture. Owner Keynn Cain tells the story of how the new store that specializes in shaved ice, shakes, smoothies and ice cream got its name.

"I'm an educator, and in one of my classes I had the kids vote on what the name should be," she said. "Once I said 'Ohana,' they all immediately said 'that means family... It turns out they remembered it from Lilo & Stitch."'

The name fits in perfectly with the goal of the business, Keynn, who owns it with her husband, Kenneth, said.
"I've always loved being around other families and making them happy," she said. "Not everyone can afford vacations, so we want this to be a getaway from your regular routine."

Inside the shop, customers will find Hawaiian decor, including a beach umbrella and toys in the front window. They'll have the option of picking up to three flavors for their shaved ice, along with a menu that also includes sundaes, shakes, smoothies and floats.

"Everything is really good and I'm not just saying it because I'm selling it," Keynn said. "I did a lot of research to make sure we have the best of everything here at the store."

So far, the shaved ice has been the top seller. Perhaps because Keynn has been making it for longer she's known what it is.

"I've been obsessed with snow my entire life," she said. "Growing up I would collect snow balls and pour juice or kool-aid on them. I started making these before I knew it was a thing."

The Cains have been Beverly residents for four years. Both their daughters - Trinity, 11 and Kennedy, 6 - attend St. Barnabas School and the family loves the neighborhood. But the Gary, Indiana natives nearly wound up elsewhere in Chicago.

"We were about to buy a house in Bronzeville, and we ended up getting lost over here one day while going to a birthday party," Keynn remembers. "When we got on Longwood Drive, I remember thinking I could not believe that this was still Chicago. Right then I said, let's move to Beverly."

When the Cains moved here, that's when the plan to open a business began to take shape. Now, less than four years later, they are already serving regulars out of the commercial space most recently occupied by a Curves studio.

"I thought this spot was ideal," Keynn said. "To be on a visible corner with kids walking home from school every morning and a train station a block away is perfect."

"And the community has embraced up completely. We've only been open two weeks and we already have regulars."

Ohana Ice & Treats is open daily from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. at 1800 W. 103rd St.

Photos by Tim Moran / Patch