Whether you’ve hurriedly devoured a Pop Brothers treat at the Gulfport-Biloxi airport or savored one on a balmy summer night, you know it’s no ordinary popsicle.
For starters, the pops come in more than 50 flavors, ranging from strawberry to guanabana (a South American fruit). Plus, these gourmet goodies are poured and set by hand in Gulfport.
“The only automated process is the wrapping of the pops,” says partner Shannon Arzola, who runs the business with her husband, Octavio Arzola, and her brother, Chuck Kelly. “Even that was done by hand until a few years ago.”
As temperatures climb and Arzola gears up for another busy season, she takes a moment to reflect on how far the business has come since its inception in 2015. Not only does Pop Brothers have locations in Gulfport, Ocean Springs and Bay St. Louis, but its artisan pops are sold in hotspots across the Coast and as far afield as New Orleans and Hattiesburg.
“I think we are successful because my husband creates an amazing product, the price is affordable, and we work very hard to give great customer service and a fun experience,” Arzola says.
A native of Spain, Octavio has more than 20 years’ experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry — including managing several fine-dining establishments in Chicago and working for MGM. In 2008, he accepted a job managing a country club in Boca Raton. Four years later, the couple relocated again when a restaurant group in Birmingham made him an offer. Arzola, whose background was in sales and business development, took a position with the same company, working with the new franchisees and overseeing the IT support department.
In 2014, her mother suffered a stroke, and the Arzolas learned they were about to be grandparents — “a very sad reason and a very happy reason to move back home (to Gulfport),” she says.
During their time in Florida and Birmingham, they visited popsicle businesses ranging from small pushcarts to brick-and-mortar stores. Although they had no plans to start their own company then, the concept intrigued them.
One afternoon in Birmingham, the couple were enjoying a post-lunch popsicle, and Arzola asked her husband what he thought.
“He said, ‘These are good, but I could make them taste better,’” she recalls. “Fast-forward two years to the day that I asked him if we could move back to Gulfport, and two weeks later, he was creating recipes using the kitchen at the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.”
Pop Brothers’ unique menu now features many single-fruit flavors, as well as decadent options like Italian coconut custard, pistachio milk and honey, banana pudding with vanilla wafers and even a Mardi Gras pop comprised of a combination of Asian fruits and an edible orchid.
Pop Brothers’ unique menu now features many single-fruit flavors, as well as decadent options like Italian coconut custard, pistachio milk and honey, banana pudding with vanilla wafers and even a Mardi Gras pop comprised of a combination of Asian fruits and an edible orchid.
“Vietnamese coffee is made with espresso and condensed milk, just like you will find in an authentic Vietnamese restaurant,” Arzola says. “We also offer a few sugar-free options.”
Last year, the business launched Poptails, cocktails on a stick, which have become very popular, and Pooch Pops are available for four-legged customers. During the pandemic, Arzola bought a used bread truck from Chicago and had it shipped to Gulfport.
“We covered it in artwork created from customer posts from our social media accounts (and) solar panels for power,” she says. “(It also has) LED lights, music and a disco ball and is the most fun food/popsicle truck you have ever seen!”
A recent, exciting development for Pop Brothers is a new partnership with Fleetway Markets, a Mississippi-based chain of family-owned convenience stores. Patrons will be able to buy a refreshing pop alongside hot, homemade food, fresh juices and many grab-and-go items.
“You also can find Pop Brothers at Centennial Plaza, Margaritaville, the Mississippi Aquarium, Scarlet Pearl, the Hattiesburg Zoo, the New Orleans Children’s Museum and many other tourist attractions,” Arzola says.
She and her husband often are asked if they expected their idea to work, and Arzola always answers, ‘Yes, because there was no plan B.” All of their resources were invested in this venture, she adds, so it had to work.
“Failure was not an option,” Arzola says. “We have given everything we have to this
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