For most of us, a vending machine is a quick and convenient dispenser of chips, candy, and soda, a welcome source of familiar packaged snacks or beverages in schools, offices, and waiting rooms. Think ...

Tom Slappey is a cold businessman. So cold, in fact, his business is a 32-degree frozen asset. Bagged or in bulk, Slappey sells ice as well as purified water at a number of roadside vending machines ...