17-year-old opens rolled ice cream shop in North Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - This week a 17-year-old, still in high school, opened his own brick-and-mortar ice cream shop.

Roll-N-Sweetz in North Omaha serves ice cream, sweets, and inspiration for all those who want to chase their dreams.

a’Ron Burns is hard at work this summer. He’s a high school student, entrepreneur, and business owner.

This weekend he opened North Omaha’s new summer sanctuary: Roll n’ Sweetz. The shop is a subsidiary of the Burns Family LLC, of which he’s the president. With the support of his mom, mentors, and investors, he created a business that he believes fills a void in North Omaha.

“We are not just for ice cream, but also to be a place for people to come and feel safe at. I think a safe place in North Omaha was bound. It was needed because in our streets, in our communities, we really don’t have it,” said a’Ron.

He also finds this fulfilling. If it weren’t for entrepreneurship, he would have pursued a career in criminal justice. But he says entrepreneurship gives him an opportunity to connect with people on a different level.

“With entrepreneurship, I can provide jobs, I can provide peace, I can provide comfort. And with ice cream, it’s also an emotional support food. So, it also would help me connect to people who are going through things I might not know, but the ice cream might help,” said a’Ron.

a’Ron persistently pitched his idea to investors whom he convinced to support him. During his junior year, he remembers leaving lunch, going to the student parking lot, and making calls to potential investors.

But to his mom, his perseverance was enough for her to go all in.

“He’s always been determined. And when he’s determined to do something, I allow him to do it even if he has to make mistake or if he has to bump his head on if it doesn’t work out. I still allow my kids to do what they want to do,” said Alexis Burns, a’Ron’s mom.

This isn’t his first business endeavor. He opened an e-commerce store that failed but that experience didn’t stop him from trying again.

“I took that, the count of failing and the embarrassment and I grabbed it all together, and it aligned me to the path of opening Roll-N-Sweetz,” said a’Ron.

In addition to helping operate the store, his mom made a financial investment.

“Me investing and contributing and actually showing him, ‘Hey I’m quitting my job, I’m cashing in on my 401k, I’m giving this my all. Because this is a dream that you want. And I believe in you. I’m gonna trust you to do the right thing,’” said his mom.

After what a’Ron hopes to be a successful summer of ice cream sales, his long-term vision is to see Roll-N-Sweetz all around the country.

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