By Shawn Larson
TROUP, Texas – What began as a nostalgic dream between two sweet-toothed adventurers and a beloved Jeep has blossomed into one of East Texas’s most buzzed-about food truck success stories.
Frosty Pines, the Troup-based shaved ice and lemonade food truck, was born out of a desire to build something fun, refreshing, and community-centered. Founders Regina and Jeremy Plymell combined entrepreneurial passion with a shared love for chasing down the best snow cones in town. The idea was simple, bringing that joy back home.
When the ETX Bell first caught up to Jeremy at an event in Troup they hosted, the Bell asked him why it was started. His response has stuck… “When we thought about starting a snow cone business, we asked ourselves what kind of things would we like…” Obviously it was the right question… Multiple awards later the concept continues to go strong!
“When we found our land in Troup, we thought, ‘Let’s open a snow cone and lemonade stand, something small, just to cool folks off and meet our neighbors,’” said Regina Plymell. “Then we realized the closest stand was all the way in Tyler, and that sealed it, Troup needed Frosty Pines.”
But just before they were set to open a permanent location, Jeremy was injured, and the couple was forced to shift plans. They pivoted quickly, turning their snow cone stand into a mobile food trailer. That decision changed everything.
Their first post in a local Facebook group sparked a rush of excitement and customers. Long lines, sometimes stretching for hours, became the norm as word spread about Frosty Pines’ colorful, over-the-top flavors and Texas-sized treats.
Their menu is more than a list, it’s a carefully crafted experience. Each shaved ice creation and specialty drink is built with layers of flavor, texture, and nostalgia. Regina, a self-proclaimed ’90s Crayola crayon-name obsessive, says naming each item is part of the magic.
“We don’t just serve snow cones, we create dessert experiences,” she said.
Signature items like the Frosty Strawberry Cheesecake, a towering snow cone topped with syrups, fresh strawberries, a slice of cheesecake, condensed milk, and Yum Crumbs, have gained a cult following. The drink menu is equally creative, with 32-ounce lemonades and sodas topped with cotton candy and themed gummies, including the wildly popular Dr. Frosty and the vibrant East Texas Sunset.
