After nearly a decade on the road, The Jolly Rogers Taste of Paradise has settled into a permanent home in Sterling. Brent Rogers launched the ice cream truck in July 2016, timing his final mobile season to his youngest child’s high school graduation.
The business now operates from 36297 Cottontree Ln, maintaining the same focus on frozen treats that made it a neighborhood fixture across this Kenai Peninsula community of 6,500 residents.
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Building a Business on Alaska’s Ice Cream Appetite
Rogers picked the right state for frozen desserts. Alaska leads the nation in per capita ice cream consumption, despite months of subzero temperatures and limited daylight. Summer brings round-the-clock sunshine and tourists chasing world-class salmon fishing on the Kenai River, just south of Sterling’s town center.
The business sells pre-packaged ice cream bars, popsicles, and frozen novelties. No soft serve machines or hand-dipped scoops. This approach fits Alaska’s mobile vendor requirements and seasonal business model, where most operations concentrate revenue into four intense summer months.
Contact and Services:
- Phone: (907) 394-0403
- Location: 36297 Cottontree Ln, Sterling, AK 99672
- Available for private parties and events
- Seasonal operations (summer months)
From Mobile Routes to Fixed Address
For roughly five years, The Jolly Rogers Taste of Paradise ice cream truck made regular stops through Sterling neighborhoods. Residents knew when to listen for the truck’s arrival, and Rogers built enough loyalty that his transition announcement thanked “Peninsula Peeps” for years of support.
The Better Business Bureau opened a file on the business in March 2019 and assigned an A+ rating, which remains current. As a sole proprietorship operating since 2016, Rogers ran the business through multiple seasonal cycles before establishing the fixed location.
Sterling sits 11 miles east of Soldotna on the Sterling Highway, the main artery through the western Kenai Peninsula. The town borders Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and serves fishing guides, tourists, and year-round residents working in hospitality and outdoor recreation.
Why Sterling Works for Ice Cream Vendors
Population growth supports local businesses here. Sterling grew from 5,150 residents in 2020 to approximately 6,500 in 2025. The median household income of $110,341 ranks well above Alaska’s average, and families make up the core demographic.
Tourism drives summer business. Campgrounds fill with visitors targeting Kenai River fishing spots, and the Sterling Highway sees steady traffic between Anchorage and Homer. Mobile food vendors and ice cream trucks capitalize on this seasonal influx, though The Jolly Rogers now serves customers from a single location rather than rotating through neighborhoods.
Alaska’s food vendor scene includes several ice cream operations on the Kenai Peninsula. The King Cone in Soldotna, The Caribou Caboose, and various drive-through coffee stands compete for the frozen dessert market. Pre-packaged products distinguish The Jolly Rogers from shops offering hand-dipped scoops or soft serve.
Operating Through Alaska Winters
Seasonal businesses dominate Sterling’s economy. Winter brings harsh conditions and minimal tourist traffic, forcing most food vendors to close until spring. The Jolly Rogers follows this pattern, concentrating operations during months when residents spend time outdoors and visitors fill local campgrounds.
This creates pressure to generate annual revenue in a compressed timeframe. Weather affects daily sales, supply logistics get complicated by Sterling’s remote location, and competition intensifies during peak months when multiple vendors chase the same customer base.
The transition to a fixed location changes this calculation. Instead of fuel costs and vehicle maintenance for mobile routes, Rogers now manages a stationary operation with different overhead and customer access patterns.
Finding The Jolly Rogers Today
Rogers maintains a Facebook page at @TJRScallywag for seasonal updates and party booking information. The business continues offering private event services alongside regular operations from the Cottontree Lane address.
Given Alaska’s compressed operating season, customers should verify current hours before visiting. Most ice cream vendors in the Sterling area open sometime between late April and mid-May, closing again in September or early October depending on weather.
The phone number (907) 394-0403 connects directly to Rogers for service inquiries, party bookings, and current availability.
Nine Years on the Kenai Peninsula
The Jolly Rogers Taste of Paradise started when Rogers saw an opportunity in Sterling’s growing population and summer tourism traffic. Nine years later, the business has outlasted numerous seasonal vendors and built recognition across the Kenai Peninsula.
The shift from mobile truck to fixed location marks a natural transition point. Rogers aligned the change with family circumstances, closed out mobile operations on his own timeline, and kept the business running through the adjustment.
Sterling residents still have access to the same frozen treats. The location just changed, not the product or the person behind the counter. For a community where businesses come and go with seasonal regularity, that continuity matters.
Rogers bet on ice cream in Alaska back in 2016. The bet paid off.
