By Josh Troy
Clarksdale Advocate
Carnival Treats owner, Dave Houston’s, daughters have added flavor to his business by creating dishes that a wide range of customers have bought for the past seven years.
Houston founded Carnival Treats in 2010, and his daughters, Kimoree (15) and Malia (14), specialize in making snow cones and funnel cakes respectively. Kimoree is going into her sophomore year at Coahoma County Jr./Sr. High School, and Malia is going into her freshman year.
“When we started the food truck business, I basically sat back to the background and let them create,” Dave Houston said.
Carnival Treats is located at 18420 Highway 61 in Lyon, but it has moved around in the past 13 years. Kimoree and Malia have been a part of the business wherever it has been.
“They’ve been growing up doing it,” Dave Houston said. “We had a small food truck, and then we moved it for a bigger food truck. Then, with this food truck, we started taking it to different places.”
Kimoree Houston makes piccadilly snow cones with pickles, texture, green apple, caramel, and dream cycle. She also stuffs snow cones with ice cream.
“Whatever snow cones you ask for, I make it,” Kimoree Houston said.
The Mississippi climate influenced Kimoree Houston to make snow cones.
“It’s getting hot, and a lot of people love snow cones. I want to bring snow cones here,” she said.
Kimoree Houston enjoys making snow cones.
“I really make it out of love,” she said.
Kimoree Houston said Dave Houston has been a strong influence in her life.
“I’ve been doing it for seven years, and my daddy taught me how to make snow cones,” Kimoree Houston said. “And I came up with my own ideas and I brought it here to the business.”
Kimoree Houston said she would like to eventually live in Atlanta, Ga., but come back to Coahoma County on vacations and sell her snow cones.
Dave Houston also cuts hair and owns Dooney’s Barber Shop at 603 East Second Street.
Like her father, Kimoree Houston hopes to be an entrepreneur, start her own business, and work with people’s hair. She specifically said she would like to braid hair and hopes to continue her education at Coahoma Community College after high school graduation.
Malia Houston makes funnel cakes with ice cream sundaes and flavors, including ice cream, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.
“I really enjoy doing them,” she said. “I make any kind of funnel cake that anybody can name.”
Dave Houston was also a strong influence in Malia’s life.
“My dad introduced me to it, and I was always with him,” Malia Houston said. “I saw that he was making funnel cakes, and I wanted to try it.”
Things worked out after Malia Houston started making funnel cakes.
“I saw how fun it was and how many things I could add to it,” she said.
Malia Houston hopes to live in California after finishing college but come home on vacations and sell her funnel cakes.
“I would love to keep doing it, and I would love to do something else in life as well,” she said.
Malia Houston hopes to further her education at Mississippi State University and become an obstetrician-gynecologist.
In addition to making their treats for regular customers, Kimoree and Malia Houston also sell their desserts at festivals and bring them to special occasions at school and family reunions.
More information about Carnival Treats can be found at https://www.facebook.com/dooneysbarbershop.
PHOTO CUTLINE: Sisters Malia Houston (left) and Kimoree Houston make desserts at their father, Dave’s, business, Carnival Treats, on a regular basis.
