Ice Cream on Victory

While laying in the grass at the moss tree-lined park on a hot summer day, if you listen closely enough, you might hear the sweet sound of an ice cream circling the streets nearby. The kid in you may get up to chase the sound, hoping to see the vehicle has parked, so you can grab yourself an ice cream cone.

Traditionally, you’d have to test your luck like this to get ahold of the playground delicacy, but now there’s a new option.

At 2010 E. Victory Dr., Toti Ice cream truck has a new brick-and-mortar location, as well as a parked ice cream trailer with outdoor seating, so patrons can track the sweet treats for themselves.

The location owner, Dotan Orgal, began working at Toti Ice Cream 17 years ago, and at the beginning of spring 2021, he expanded the business from being strictly mobile, to grab-and-go, also.

Orgal said the business started for him back in 2004, when he got a call from a friend inviting him to join in his new ice cream truck business. Enticed by the idea of a job filled with little overhead restrictions, travel, and fun, Orgal flew from New York to Savannah to drive for Toti Ice Cream trucks.

Orgal said he was enthused to begin his new career.

“I started to work for him, and I loved it,” Organ said. “It’s not so easy to work everyday because the kids will drive you crazy, but I still love it.”

In 2010, Orgal purchased ownership from his friend and has been running Toti since. Orgal said that while selling ice cream for so long, he gained a reputation in the community and he has made many friends across Savannah.

“With my ice cream trucks, I go everywhere: I go to the parks, conferences, trailer parks,” Orgal said. “I go everywhere, and I know everyone.”

The owner prides himself on offering an encompassing variety. In addition to selling dairy treats, Organ said that he serves a great, vegan product from New Jersey called Little Jimmy Italian Ice. The owner said 50% of his frozen-snack sales come from the Italian ice.

After working with Toti Ice Cream for almost two decades, Orgal said he hit a point in his life where he considered trying something new. He said he tried to sell the business when he moved to Miami about a year ago but COVID brought him back.

“I sold everything, and I thought I was going to leave this, but God wants me here,” Orgal said.

Orgal values community support and he gives through Toti Ice Cream in ways including giving drinks and ice cream to the homeless to refresh them on hot days. He also said at the end of every year during Christmas Toti Ice Cream sends cool toys, like drones, to drives for children.

“I love kids; I love support; I love Savannah and I love the people,” Orgal said.

Toti Ice Cream brick-and-mortar location is open on weekdays from 3-8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 1-8 p.m. Find him on Facebook at facebook.com/toti1974.