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Beneklman Business Is Solid As Ice

California family turns busted bowling alley into a new opportunity.

Seated at a vintage 1950s chrome table, sipping a creamy latte, Chris and Carolyn Crossett describe how they started their commercial ice cube business and California-style diner in Benkelman, Nebraska.

“I always admired people who committed everything they had to fulfill their dreams,” says Carolyn. “That’s just what we did.”

A Bowling Alley on E-Bay

Former residents of Ojai, California, the Crossetts were searching for a simpler lifestyle, better schools for their six children, and a family-oriented business opportunity when Chris scrolled through E-Bay and discovered a bowling alley and diner called Strikers for sale in Benkelman.

They made a successful bid for the business, sold their California home, and moved to Benkelman in 2002. In a few months they had converted an old church into a home, started-up the diner...and discovered that the bowling alley was beyond repair.

Not the type of people to give up easily on a dream, the Crossetts began contemplating how best to make use of the space. Because Chris is a master carpenter, he was able to design and build an indoor miniature golf course, but when the enthusiasm of area youth waned after a few years, they couldn’t attract enough tourist trade to make the course viable. For a second time, they began looking for a business to supplement the diner.

An Opportunity In Ice

“When we started the diner, we needed to buy six bags of ice two or three times a day,” Carolyn said. “We bought from a Canadian company, and much of the time it arrived half-melted.”

They reasoned that if they had this problem, other restaurants, resorts, convenience stores, motels and bars in the area might be ready customers for a higher-quality, locally-produced product.

With the help of a University of Nebraska business consultant they devised a business plan, beginning with independent tests of the water quality available in Benkelman.

“We found that the water in Benkelman is higher quality than water in most other regions in Nebraska,”said Crossett.

Armed with these tests and a thorough plan of how they would conduct the business, the Crossetts approached the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and a local bank for money to buy the equipment and get started. The City of Benkelman also granted them a zero-interest loan. Eight months after they wrote their plan and applied, C-Clear Ice Company was in business.

Business Continues to Grow

Although C-Clear Ice requires Chris to travel up to 200 miles in all directions around Benkelman, their contracts from last year are secure and many customers that were waiting to see if C-Clear would stay in business for the long term are signing up for the service.

It looks as if C-Clear is in business for the long haul. Chris notes they are even exploring the feasibility of bottling and marketing C-Clear water in the region and beyond.

“We offer an eight-pound bag of C-Clear ice for the price our customers were paying for a five-pound bag,” says Crossett. “Plus, our ice is made in a 100% new ice-making machine, with every pipe is sealed and certified by the Nebraska State Health Department.”

And, of course, Strikers Diner has all the ice it can use.

A Nebraska Diner with California Style

Reminiscent of its origins as a bowling alley, the diner and gourmet coffee restaurant retains the red-and-chrome tables in addition to the Strikers name. Customers may order fresh dough pizza, subway sandwiches from bread baked daily in the diner, salads, a cappuccino, a latte, gourmet coffee and fruit smoothies, among other items.

Strikers opens at 6:00 a.m. for breakfast and closes at 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Biscuits and gravy and homemade cinnamon rolls highlight the breakfast menu. “Strikers concentrates on food items that can be made fresh and served quickly,” said Carolyn. “Our customers are truckers, teenagers, families who live and work in Benkelman, and tourists.”

Owing to the quality of the food and service, the diner has enjoyed a steady trade which has allowed the Crossetts to make it the foundation of their operation.

Pluses and Minuses of a Rural Business

Chris and Carolyn say they have no regrets from following their dream of owning a business – or a couple of businesses – and finding a more wholesome life for their family.

“Living in Benkelman is affordable and delightful,” Carolyn says. “The schools are awesome, and individuals get all the attention they need. Also, people look out for one another in Benkelman, and they pitch in to help when you need them. The whole town embraces newcomers.”

“In a city, most people are anonymous nobodies, but in Benkelman, everyone is a somebody. We know each other’s skills, talents and interests.”

On the downside, she said, suggestions to improve business in Benkelman are slow to take hold and even though they try to conduct as much business as possible in the Benkelman region, they still need to drive to a city for services some of the time. It’s hard to make a living just from local residents. And it’s hard to get fresh produce.

On balance, though, they say life in rural Nebraska is great. Benkelman is just the kind of wholesome Midwestern environment they were looking for.

“We never looked back.”

Who To Contact...

C-Clear Ice Company and Strikers Diner & Gourmet Coffee
1309 A Street
Benkelman, NE 69201
308.423.2052
cclear@bwtelcom.net

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