Worcester Preparatory graduates and husband and wife team Luke and Madison Buas recently opened Snow Daze, a shaved ice stand on 611 in the former Build Your Own Cookie space.
Snow Daze, a locally owned shaved ice shop, is now open at the former build Your Own Cookie spot off Route 611.
Submitted photo
By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer
A locally operated shaved ice stand has opened its doors just in time for summer. The new dessert shop, located on 611 in the former Build Your Own Cookie space, is owned by Worcester Preparatory graduates and husband and wife team Luke and Madison Buas.
Snow Daze officially welcomed customers on May 11. Madison Buas said the grand opening was a success despite the weather.
“We had a line filled with locals even though it was cold outside,” she noted. “I’m excited for warm weather. I feel like we’ll better understand how busy we’ll be.”
The Buas’ curated menu currently includes 30 shaved ice flavors, like the fan-favorite egg custard, but it is expected to expand. Patrons can choose from various toppings, such as marshmallow, which comes in the middle, gummy bears, Oreos, Reese’s Cups, sprinkles, coconut flakes, and M&Ms.
“A fun thing that makes us unique is we have mini melts, which are like dip and dots, and you can add that to your shaved ice,” the owner said. “It is delicious and melts with it, so it’s like vanilla throughout.”
Snow Daze has ice cream that can be paired with the snowball or ordered by itself. The selection includes chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, brownie extreme, mint chocolate chip, cotton candy, and yeti tracks. Milkshakes, brownies, and cookies are also available.
Buas said that the inspiration behind Snow Daze originated from her mom’s southern roots.
“My mom is from New Orleans, and we always visited, and they are known for their shaved ice,” she said. “Every time we went, we would always get shaved ice.”
The dessert shop runner maintained that she and her husband knew they wanted to start a business together eventually. When the former BYOB, now located in Frontier Town, became available, they took the leap.
The idea for a shaved ice business was conceived in November of 2023. The pair then spent months repainting the exterior of the building and browsing Facebook Marketplace for benches.
“I wanted it to pop from the road and be inviting,” Buas said.
The ice for the treats is frozen onsite in molds and broken down by a SnoWizard SnoBall Machine. While the blades have been a challenge, the Worcester Prep grad said that she and her husband have been learning the ins and outs of the mechanics every day.
The husband-and-wife team are high school sweethearts having graduated Worcester Prep together before attending college. Madison graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2021, and Luke received his degree from the University of Miami.
Buas confirmed that Snow Daze is open daily from noon to 8 p.m. As summer starts heating up, they will likely welcome customers until 10 p.m. to accommodate the after-dinner and Assateague beach rush. The young business owner is excited about the stand’s impact on the community.
“My mission with starting Snow Daze is to spread happiness, encourage people to savor the small moments in life, and create lasting memories,” she said.