Karen Niday (left) an Economic Development Specialist with the Cortland County Business Development Corporation talks with Andrew Pierce Co-owner of the Frosty Caboose in Cortland about his plans for his upcoming opening weekend
Cortland — Frosty Caboose co-owner Andrew Pierce wanted to bring something positive to the neighborhood near Cortland’s Guthrie Medical Center.
He settled on an ice cream stand at a long-vacant lot just up the street from the hospital on Homer Avenue, and began his project in earnest when he purchased a dilapidated 1940s era railroad caboose he found in neighboring Dryden. After months of rehabilitating both the caboose and the lot itself, The Frosty Caboose officially opened its windows to the public on July 10th, 2022.
Pierce said his business was well-received from the beginning, with the community turning out in droves to support the new treat shop.
Pierce was aided in his project with an award from the Cortland County Business Development Corporation, which developed its sign, façade, and street frontage grant program using federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars it had acquired from Cortland County.
The program aims to use those federal resources to aid in pandemic recovery by encouraging commercial property owners to invest in repairs and updates to the exterior of their buildings. Pierce received a $10,000 award, which helped him defray the costs of new awnings for the caboose and a fresh coat of paint on the former rail car and a new exterior deck. In total, Pierce spent more than $18,000 renovating the caboose.
Pierce said the grant meant work that might have been delayed for another day was taken care of right away. “It’s the first grant I’ve ever received, and when we received the funds my partner and I were smiling, what a relief to have someone step in and help us,”
Pierce acknowledged the BDC’s role in securing the funds and for guiding him through the process of opening his business. “From start to finish (they) were always easy to work with, always willing to take a phone call,” he said. “My expertise is in hot dogs and ice cream, and when you look at finances it gets scary. It can be daunting but the BDC took that apprehension away.”
Pierce is already looking forward to his first full season at the Frosty Caboose, with plans to open this Saturday May 6th in conjunction with the annual Corn Ducky Derby at nearby Suggett Park.
