If you happen to spot a charming 1900s trolley while out on the town, its name is Moonbeam, and owner Paula Boyd would love to say hello.
Born and raised in Brazil, Boyd moved to Michigan in 2000, then Newburgh, Indiana, in 2006.
“I completely give my heart to my work,” says Boyd, a neo-natal intensive care unit nurse at The Women’s Hospital, “but I wanted a little business of my own.”
When Boyd learned about trolleys, she immediately fell in love. Last winter, she found a Chance Coach replica road trolley — so called because it runs on rubber tires rather than cables — in Pennsylvania, flew to survey it, and then drove it back to the Tri-State.
Once back home in Boonville, Indiana, Boyd debuted Moonbeam Trolley Co. at Super Bride Sunday in February. Family and friends have pitched in to help, from Boyd’s teenage children reviewing Moonbeam’s website to friend Alli Wuertz running the company’s social media campaigns.
The trolley can be rented for photo shoots and weddings, but it also serves as photogenic transportation for groups celebrating birthdays, winery hopping, or attending prom.
Moonbeam services parties in Indiana and Kentucky, and Boyd plans to grow her business by driving her trolley to area farmers markets, fundraisers, and special events.
“Opening a little business took more courage than I thought I had,” she says. “It’s going to serve the purpose it’s built for: to shuttle people here and there, host their parties, and be part of their happiness.”
