Every part of the country has its unique cuisine, snacks, local delicacies and favorites. The West Coast is known for its unique and sometimes quirky take on American classics, and its large Hispanic population has made it the taco capital of America. The Midwest boasts a bounty of hearty and flavorful favorites, including bratwurst, deep-dish pizzas, and Kansas City-style Barbeque. The South’s contributions amass in calories and flavors, bringing its variations of barbeque, rich casseroles, and pies of all assortments. The North brings thin-crust pizza, bagels (made with NYC water), cheesesteaks, and water ice.
One of the best things about living in Fayetteville is its diverse population, with some of these favorites in the city for all to enjoy. Wisdom Waterice is a locally owned father-daughter-run business delivering the classic Philly snack to the area. Water Ice is the regional variation of Italian ice, with a slightly different consistency. While the unrefined taste palettes of those not born in the area, one would think they were the same, but water ice is distinctively Philadelphia and natives will kindly let you know.
Owner and Philadelphia native, Christopher Irvin, explains, “Water ice is a great fun flavorful treat for the spring and summertime. We grew up eating water ice in Philadelphia where it originated. Water ice is made with three key components, water, sugar, and flavoring.”
Bringing the cold, portable snack to the city has been a successful venture for the businessman, who originally started the business to build something with his daughter that could be passed on for generations. Water ice has been well received in Fayetteville. Wisdom Waterice can be found at just about every major event in the area. This past season saw them at several Festival Park events and the Cumberland County Fair. Just look for the trailer with the brightly colored cute cartoon version of Irvin’s daughter, Wisdom, to secure a cup of the cool treat.
“Now that water ice [is] served here in Fayetteville, we look to continuously season after season supply, serve, and deliver quality, Philadelphia water ice, in every scoop and serve. If anyone is looking to purchase or stop by Wisdom Waterice we post our locations daily on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. To book Wisdom Waterice you can email us at WisdomWaterice@gmail.com for your event or party. We want the community to know that when they are looking for the ‘real cool down’ as we say, ‘The cold down starts here,’ and a fun treat the whole family can enjoy together,” Irvin said.
Irvin is grateful for the community's outpouring of support and thankful for those who have helped him in this venture, saying, “I want to absolutely thank God for putting this business venture in my life, showing me the vision and the ways to serve this community. I also want to thank LaTonya my partner and Julie my other partner for trusting and believing that water ice would do well here and be accepted here as well as my daughter Wisdom. She’s been the face of this business and as her father, I hope and pray that when I’m long gone, she will continue to serve Wisdom water ice, and bless her for life. The one thing I’ve learned along this journey is that if the people love your product, love your service, you’ll always have faithful and continuous customers.”

(Photo courtesy of Wisdom Waterice Facebook page)