Punch Buggy Shave Ice, operating for the past five years in Louisville, is preparing to soon start offering its icy tastes of Hawaii in neighboring Lafayette.
Punch Buggy owner Neige LaRue grew up bouncing between Kailu-Kona, Hawaii and the mainland before she moved to Colorado almost 10 years ago. In that time travelling in the mainland, she realized she missed authentic Hawaiian shave ice, so she figured she would do it herself.
LaRue noted that shave ice is different than a snow cone. A snow cone has crushed, coarse ice as the base, while shave ice is thinly sliced ice with a softer, fluffier texture. Punch Buggy has traditional flavors like strawberry, cherry and lime but LaRue also wanted to include traditional Hawaiian flavors that might be harder to find on the mainland like ube and yuzu citrus flavors or haupia whipped cream and macadamia nut ice cream.
“We try to really bring the taste of the islands here to Louisville,” LaRue said. The Louisville shop is at 640 Main St.
She also noted that Punch Buggy also has flavors of the week featuring lilikoi and guava. She said that, as a mom, she was motivated to have treats that were as natural as they could be and also allergy friendly. All the syrups Punch Buggy uses are made in-house with 100% pure cane sugar, and no artificial colors or flavors.
LaRue said that the Lafayette Punch Buggy location is anticipated to open early June. She’s excited about being able to meet the Lafayette community and bound over shave ice. LaRue said that sugary treats are bound to spread joy, but she wants to deliver the delight to even more people.
Blakely Weber, a manager, has been working at Punch Buggy since its opening in 2019. Her favorite part of the job is getting to know all her coworkers and store patrons on a more personal level.
Having grown up in Louisville, Weberdescribes it is a tight-knit community, which she missed while she was away for college at the University of Denver. She enjoys being able to catch up with old friends and community members while serving them shave ice.
“We’re really, really happy to serve you,” Weber said.
She said that one of the best parts of working at Punch Buggy is being able to chat with customers and the wonderful sense of community, whether it is being able to watch her high-school aged coworkers grow up or catching up with regulars at the window while ordering.
Weber recommends a strawberry and lime flavored shave ice or a special flavor of the week of lychee, a sweet, floral yet citrusy flavor.
Punch Buggy also has a food truck that travels to various Boulder County events. The truck will also be at the Superior South Pool, 3300 Huron Peak Ave., Mondays and Tuesdays,11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and as well as the Superior Community Center, 1500 Coalton Road, Wednesdays and Thursday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the summer.
Punch Buggy in Louisville is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Lafayette location will be open every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Punch Buggy only offers outdoor seating and may be closed due to weather. More information can be found on the Punch Buggy website.