"Abracadabra! Alakazam! Make Billy's ice cream as fast as you can!"
A "magic cloud" of vapor rises from a steel bowl as a small child waits in anticipation. At Abracadabra Ice Cream Factory, it's a cryogenic wizard's show.
Owner John Gramley, 37, went into the liquid nitrogen ice cream business after an internet search. The 23-year restaurant industry veteran -- who worked his way from busboy to manager -- prepared for his own small business venture by researching the decade's hottest trends.
His result? Liquid nitrogen ice cream and cupcakes.
Utilizing $38,000 in personal savings and contributions from his father and a friend, Abracadabra opened in March. The company offers sugar-free, fat-free and lactose-free alternatives, and adds variety to its menu with gourmet cupcakes and specialty cakes made by Gramley's wife, Becky.
Abracadabra is already turning a profit and on target to reach $240,000 in gross sales in its first year. A second Kissimmee location will open by February 2012.
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