The original Kwik Ice logo from 1982
KWIK ICE
The Beginning
Kwik Ice was founded in 1982 by Buddy and Annette Rushing in Austin, Texas. Their humble beginnings started out on Burnet Road, with a small ice maker, a single truck, and a lot of hard work. The initial vision of Kwik Ice was to become a full-service ice company that was capable of meeting any size demand. Buddy and Annette grew the company slowly over the years, understanding that slow growth was stable growth.
Kwik Ice prides itself on putting its customers first and providing everyone with excellent customer service. This becomes very clear as you become one of our loyal customers. We are big enough to serve you, and small enough to know you! Welcome to the Kwik Ice family.
1982
From Beer to Ice
Kwik Ice originally started out as a drive-thru beverage barn on Burnet Rd, called the XXX Depot. The name XXX Depot was a nod to the days of moonshine production, when each “X” on a bottle indicated the number of times the contents were distilled. The more X’s equals a stronger drink!
While selling beer and wine to drive up customers, Buddy & Annette would make small batches of ice to sell on site, as well as give away free with purchases of beer. This quickly evolved as they saw a unique need in the market. Many local bars, restaurants, and convenience stores were having trouble finding reliable ice delivery, and they called Buddy for help. It was at this point that Kwik Ice was born, and the first bag of ice was delivered.
1984
The Move… Across the Street
After a few years of delivering ice in Austin, Kwik Ice began to outgrow the small freezer room inside the XXX Depot. Fortunately, Buddy had experience in refrigeration installation and was able to hand craft a freezer vault, and work to install a new ice maker that would increase his capacity significantly. One Sunday in 1984, with the help of a few tow trucks and a flatbed trailer, he moved his equipment across the street to 8515 Burnet Rd, where Kwik Ice lived for over 30 years. You might have even seen the iconic Kwik Ice arrow sign as you were driving by over the years.
2012
New Beginnings
The new beginnings in 2012 take us back to 2005, when Buddy met James, the current owner of Kwik Ice. James had a small, shaved ice business in Austin, and was a customer of Kwik Ice for quite some time. On some summer days, James would stop by to pick up ice and drop into the office to say hi to Buddy and Annette.
Their business relationship grew into a solid friendship, and as the years progressed, Buddy expressed his interest to retire from the ice business. He didn’t want to sell to just anybody, as he wanted someone who would continue to give his customers the same level of service they had been accustomed to. James was that person!
So, on February 14, 2012, the papers were signed, and Buddy and Annette were able to retire from Kwik Ice and pass on their legacy to James.
2015
Growing with Austin
A few years passed and Kwik Ice continued to grow at a steady pace. New trucks were added, technology was implemented, and the old warehouse on Burnet Road was now too small for the new operation. In the summer of 2015, Kwik ice found a new home at 3909 Warehouse Row, in the heart of 78704. The new 15,000 sq ft warehouse provided room to grow, and space to create efficiency.
Since 1982, Kwik Ice has proven to be the #1 choice for ice in Austin and surrounding areas. We strive to personally know each customer and ensure that you have ice delivered when you need it. Kwik Ice has been in business over 40 years, and we look forward to many more years of service to the Austin community.
Order Ice
Kwik Ice
3909 Warehouse Row
Austin, Texas 78704
CALL TO ORDER, LAST CALL 6 PM
(512) 459-5945 (KWIK)
Questions or event inquiries: james@kwikice.com
Hours
DELIVERY, LAST CALL 6 PM
Mon–Sat: 8am–7pm
Sun: 9am–7pm
WAREHOUSE PICKUP
Mon–Sat: 9am–4pm
Sun: CLOSED
