When I reached out to Marcia and Nate Czarnopys, I expected a classic mom-and-pop food truck story—because that’s our usual beat at Grand Rapids Magazine. I wasn’t expecting a franchise. And I definitely wasn’t expecting to stop caring about that detail about a minute into our conversation.
Marcia, a health, fitness, and wellness professional, found her career abruptly sidelined when COVID made close human contact a bad idea. Nate? He’s a postmaster in Caledonia. If that doesn’t scream “local small business grit,” I don’t know what does. So, when I asked the obvious question—Who is Tom?—the answer was… layered.
Travelin’ Tom’s, it turns out, is a coffee truck spinoff of Kona Ice, founded by Tony Lamb and inspired by his father, Tom. Kona Ice launched in 2007, Travelin’ Tom’s followed in 2020, and now there are more than 300 trucks nationwide. But Marcia and Nate’s truck? That one belongs to Kentwood.
“With this franchise, you buy territories,” Marcia explained. “We’ve got Kentwood—three zip codes—and there aren’t any other Travelin’ Tom’s near West Michigan. So… we’re pretty free to roam.”
They officially hit the road in September of 2025, parking the truck at a commissary until duty calls. And duty, apparently, calls everywhere: 5Ks, half marathons, corporate employee appreciation days, soccer tournaments, flea markets, apartment complexes— even an alcohol-free wedding reception on the Lake Michigan shoreline—proof that no two events are ever quite the same.
Despite the name, this is not just a coffee truck. It’s more like a rolling beverage command center. Inside are two full-on espresso machines you’d expect in a coffeehouse, plus a Micromatic system (think beer taps but make it coffee). Hot chocolate, white chocolate mochas, cinnamon apple cider, matcha hot chocolate, refreshers, frappes, frozen lemonade, frozen hot chocolate (yes, frozen), teas, energy drinks—the list goes on.
Refreshers, by the way, are fruity, lightly caffeinated drinks topped with fresh strawberries or mango and served over ice or blended. “Like a margarita,” I offered.
“Exactly,” Marcia and Nate said, together in perfect unison.
Marcia admits she was intimidated at first. “But once you make the drinks a few times, it’s fast. People can’t believe how quickly they get their orders.”
January and February are slower—because Michigan—but they’re staying busy. Schools, fundraisers, corporate gigs, Rosa Parks Circle ice rink, and more already on the calendar. And coming soon? Bacon. Waffles. Boba.
For a second career born out of a pandemic curveball, Travelin’ Tom’s feels right at home in West Michigan: adaptable, community-minded, and always ready with a hot drink when you need it most.
