Business Owner: Joe Sorg, S & J Sno-Ball and Custard Shop, Inc.

Patch: How did you get into the sno-ball and custard business? 

Joe Sorg: In 1989, when I was a senior in high school at Lindbergh, I was very interested in my business classes. Mr. Graves, my business teache,r was a great inspiration to me. My parents had always wanted to own a small business, like a deli or a bar. They often discussed it, but had never done it.

One day as we were driving through High Ridge, my mother saw a snow cone stand for sale, and she just could not stop talking about it. She wanted it, and finally convinced my father that they should buy it. 

I told them that I would design the menu and help with the stand and that they could pay me what they thought I was worth at the end of the year. That year they opened a second location and business was good.

At the end of they year, they told me what they could pay me for the year’s work and said I could either take the money or become an owner. I opted to be an owner, so they took back the money. It was a rough year for me financially.

Patch: What is the best part of your job?

Joe Sorg: I thoroughly enjoy seeing little kids smile and be happy. A visit to one of my shops is often their reward for being good or achieving something. They are on their best behavior here.

Patch: What is the worst thing about your job?

Joe Sorg: I suppose it is anything that takes me away from the shop. The bigger we get, the less time I have to spend with my customers. I really enjoy the interaction.

Patch: What was your most unusual request?

Joe Sorg: We have a Sno-To-Go option for large orders. One day we received a call from the wife of a regular customer telling us that he had passed away. Much to my surprise, she ordered a large number of sno-balls for the wake. We delivered them.