I'm Cuckoo for Loco Pops

[phlawless]

This place is wonderful!! I've been three times now and have not been disappointed yet.

The mojito is by far my favorite, followed by the chocolate chile...hurry to loco pops!!

[Gifted Gourmet]

might this be the place?

LocoPops, 2600 Hillsborough Road, Durham.

Forget about the artificial grape and orange flavors of childhood. Instead, think racy, grown-up flavors such as ginger-cantaloupe, mojito, pina colada and watermelon-chocolate chip.   Those are just four of the 200 or so flavors in the recipe files of Summer Bicknell, who completed a three-month paletas apprenticeship in Mexico before opening LocoPops. On any given day, some 40 of those flavors -- about half water-based and half cream-based -- are offered for sale in her modest shop... mango-chile should be available most of the time

[Varmint]

This place is wonderful!! I've been three times now and have not been disappointed yet.

The mojito is by far my favorite, followed by the chocolate chile...hurry to loco pops!!

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C'mon phlawless, you gotta give more details than that. Where is it? What's it all about? I know detlefchef has raved about this to me, but you've got to give us all the scoop here!

[Carrot Top]

Sounds fantastic! I wish there were something like that here. . .the closest we can get is the newly opened Mexican bodega where there are several variations on the fruit-chile blends of popsicle (imported from Mexico). . .(and they offer candy-chile blends, too, for that matter. . . my eleven year old son adores the lollipops of all flavors that are packaged up to be dipped into the accompanying poblano chile powder. . .)

Edited August 4, 2005 by Carrot Top (log)

[phlawless]

Yes, it is on Hillsborough Rd right after the 15th st. intersection in a crappy little 3 shop strip. But don't let the atmosphere fool you, this place is great!

Nothing more than a counter, 4 or 5 commercial freezers, and a grease board. Everytime I've gone, it's been full of kids (of course) with the adults usually going back for seconds. (The small priced at $1 is about 8 or 10 licks at best, I sometimes have 3!)

Maybe I'm partial, since I've always favored sorbet/sherbet/popsicles over ice cream, but it's pretty much a dream come true for me.

What I've had:

mango chile

cucumber chile

chocolate chile

mojito

nana nilla

mexican chocolate

creamy lime

pomegranate

hibiscus

avocado

grapefruit basil

the only one that wasn't stellar was the avocado, and only cause the fruit must not have been ripe.

[detlefchef]

Allow me to echo phlawless in a) I freaking love this place! and b) the avocado didn't knock my socks off. I'm embarrassed to say that the first time I saw the place, I was getting some keys made next door and thought, "Whatever, there's no way that place makes it." I mean, a whole store dedicated to nothing but popsicles? However, the guy at the locksmith said they were always packed and I later noticed the same thing for myself. Having sampled the wares, I can see why.

It doesn't hurt that the neighborhood they butt up against is full of young-ish, progressive people that will totally support a cool little niche place like that.

A place like loco-pops doing well is a truly encouraging sign about the people of Durham (or at least that part of Durham). I wish them all the best.

[Toliver]

...I'm embarrassed to say that the first time I saw the place, I was getting some keys made next door and thought, "Whatever, there's no way that place makes it."  I mean, a whole store dedicated to nothing but popsicles?  However, the guy at the locksmith said they were always packed and I later noticed the same thing for myself.  Having sampled the wares, I can see why.

It doesn't hurt that the neighborhood they butt up against is full of young-ish, progressive people that will totally support a cool little niche place like that.

A place like loco-pops doing well is a truly encouraging sign about the people of Durham (or at least that part of Durham).  I wish them all the best.

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Of course, it's currently the height of summer. Their popularity is almost a given.

The true test will be what happens when winter comes calling.

Or are they a seasonal store, opening only certain months out of the year?

The store sounds marvelous and I wish them much success and hope the eventual franchise makes its way to my area.

[Rachel Perlow]

Varmint - How far is this from your place? I think a field trip may be in order for Saturday of Pig Pickin weekend.

Hmm, it's only about 20 minutes from the airport...

[Varmint]

Varmint - How far is this from your place? I think a field trip may be in order for Saturday of Pig Pickin weekend.

Hmm, it's only about 20 minutes from the airport...

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It's a 20-minute drive. I'll be a bit too busy to lead a field trip, but that's certainly a place that folks could visit. There are several "field trip" sorts of places in the area worth exploring.

[BryanZ]

I'm sooo there as soon as I return to NC.

[gear02]

Hmm...how odd...two posts about places to try in Durham and they're literally next door to me! This is too cool! I'm going to try this tomorrow.

[Varmint]

My wife as at an all-day conference yesterday, so this was a great opportunity to sneak off with the 4 L'il Varmints and one of their friends to try out LocoPops. This place is better than what's been described above. I'm majorly pissed it takes 20 minutes to get there!!!!

These are the flavors that I remember having:

Cookies and Cream

Chocolate Banana

Nectarine Orange

Mango Chile

Mojito

Creamy Lime

Hibiscus

Peach white chocolate

There were a couple more flavors sampled, but I was doing my best to limit the spillage on the floor.

When my prissy 4 year old daughter tried and loved the hibiscus, a flavor she had never experienced before, I realized how cool this place was. The cream based popsicles were sophisticated fudgesicles or dreamsicles. They were that damned good. The chocolate banana had chunks of banana mixed in with an intense chocolate.

The water based popsicles were even better on a hot sunny day. The mojito is as good as described above, but I wanted to sample all the available flavors. It's amazing.

When it's pig pickin time, we should send someone over to Durham with a cooler. At a buck a piece for the small popsicles, that's quite a deal.

[Rachel Perlow]

With that size order, perhaps they'd deliver? That way you can schedule the delivery for a few hours into the day, rather than take up room in the freezer or worry about them melting, etc. Who knows, they might already have one of those freezer carts or something for street sales. A free invite to the pig pickin might be fair trade for them to send over a vendor to pass out "free" pops. They could pass out coupons (or business cards or flyers) for the locals.

Regardless, I believe a detour to the place is in order straight from the airport, before checking into the hotel even.

[Varmint]

With that size order, perhaps they'd deliver? That way you can schedule the delivery for a few hours into the day, rather than take up room in the freezer or worry about them melting, etc. Who knows, they might already have one of those freezer carts or something for street sales. A free invite to the pig pickin might be fair trade for them to send over a vendor to pass out "free" pops. They could pass out coupons (or business cards or flyers) for the locals.

Regardless, I believe a detour to the place is in order straight from the airport, before checking into the hotel even. Then a stop at a grocery store to buy Jello, then check in at the Brownstone.

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They're a small, neighborhood outfit, so I don't see that happening. A road trip may be the most viable option.

As far as a detour is concerned, it's easy to get around here. Feel free to go whenever you want, but some folks may want to go together on Saturday or Sunday.

[Rachel Perlow]

If it's as good as you all keep saying, I'm sure we'll be joining any additional field trips that weekend as well.

They're a small, neighborhood outfit, so I don't see that happening.

It never hurts to ask if they'd deliver, the worst that could happen is they say no.

[Varmint]

If it's as good as you all keep saying, I'm sure we'll be joining any additional field trips that weekend as well.

They're a small, neighborhood outfit, so I don't see that happening.

It never hurts to ask if they'd deliver, the worst that could happen is they say no.

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They don't deliver.

Today I had a Very Berry and a Pineapple-Chile. Both very good. Phlawless had a Creamy Pecan (not sweet enough) and Peanut Butter-Chocolate.

[nibbs]

Varmint - I've been a lurker on E-Gullet for a while. No posting due to arm pain type issues. But as the Pig Pickin' got closer and I realized we'd be in town for it, I signed up and paid (Hubbell is the name).

Anywho, the wife and I live about 5 minutes from Loco Pops. And I have a Subaru Baja. And we just moved so I'm considering the following:

1) Buy a chest freezer (because every house big enough for one needs one).

2) Put it in the back of the Baja.

3) Fill it with Loco Pops.

4) Bring it to the Pig Pickin'.

I know there'll already be plenty of food, so this may be overkill. I come from Sicilian blood. Food overkill is what we do. Plus, that'd probably be a damn easy way to make some friends quick. If this is something that interests anyone, let me know.

New house means no internet at home yet, but I'll check back in later in the week.

~Nibbs

[Varmint]

Varmint - I've been a lurker on E-Gullet for a while.  No posting due to arm pain type issues.  But as the Pig Pickin' got closer and I realized we'd be in town for it, I signed up and paid (Hubbell is the name).

Anywho, the wife and I live about 5 minutes from Loco Pops.  And I have a Subaru Baja.  And we just moved so I'm considering the following:

1) Buy a chest freezer (because every house big enough for one needs one).

2) Put it in the back of the Baja.

3) Fill it with Loco Pops.

4) Bring it to the Pig Pickin'.

I know there'll already be plenty of food, so this may be overkill.  I come from Sicilian blood.  Food overkill is what we do.  Plus, that'd probably be a damn easy way to make some friends quick.  If this is something that interests anyone, let me know. 

New house means no internet at home yet, but I'll check back in later in the week.

~Nibbs

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Wow!! First, if you're serious about this, you better call LocoPops ASAP and let them know you need to place a HUGE order. They usually want 7 days notice. Second, I have no idea how you'll get a freezer on my tennis court, but you could put it in my driveway!! Regardless, this is very kind.

Finally, if you want to make people very, very happy, you should do this for the Saturday crew who will be making the food. Send me an email when you get a chance, and maybe something can be worked out. Plus, we need some good Sicilians to join us!

Thanks for the kind offer.

[Rachel Perlow]

We hit LocoPops straight from the airport when we arrived for the Pig Pickin' weekend...

Rachel and I landed in Raleigh this afternoon, and boy was it HOT.

So before even heading over to Casa Mccord, we headed over to Durham for some Loco Pops.

I had the Mojito and Chocolate Chile flavors, and Rachel had the White Peach and Chocolate Orange flavors. Muy sabroso.

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Edited September 3, 2005 by Jason Perlow (log)

[dscott]

We had a very quick trip to Durham last weekend with a busy agenda that precluded most dining outings (including no trip to Allen and Sons ). However, I did get to try Loco Pops for the first time. Damn, that is a fun place. So good that we went back the next day for more. Over the two trips, we tried cream and juice-based alike. Below I list my recollection of our favorite flavors (names may not be perfect). We tried many more but brain freeze must have impacted my memory. If I lived back in the Triangle in the summer, Loco Pops would be a fun and frequent detour from Dook, 9th St., Brightleaf or the Ballpark. It was packed both days of a warm Easter weekend. I hope this place continues to thrive, for y'all's sake. What a great treat.

Pomegranate Tangerine

Charoset

Mojito

Strawberries & Cream

Banana Caramel

Creamy Lime

Mango Chile

[BryanZ]

Yeah Loco Pops is pretty sweet. They're also now available on Duke's campus. Yay!

[s9498]

There's an article in the N&O today about LocoPops. Here's the link: LocoPops Article

[kpurvis]

When it rains, it pours. We also had an article in The Observer yesterday. It's available at The Charlotte Observer

[Jason Perlow]

The brutally hot weather has to be great for business for those guys.

[bandregg]

I stopped into LocoPops a couple of months ago after they had re-opened from vacation and before the heat of summer had hit. And they were incredibly busy then, no matter when I went: weekend, weekday, afternoon, evening. The heat just helps.