Summer is upon us, and what better to soothe the palate on a warm day than a cold, fresh, and natural popsicle. This summer you can support a local business, and family, while enjoying a cool and refreshing treat. Introducing gpops!
“We make all-natural ice pops that rotate with the seasons. My favorite is the peach jalapeno. It tastes like a sweet frozen peach salsa. We also have roasted peach, and one of my favorite smells in the whole world is the roasted peaches.”, co-owner of gpops, Shannon Gentry, said with a smile.
It all started with Shannon making homemade popsicles for her two children, Arlo and Warren. While traveling to other cities, the Gentrys saw a similar concept so they decided to try it as a family business at the Farmer’s Market. After six months at the Farmer’s Market and a few community events, her and her husband, Brandon, decided to open the business seasonally. They currently share a space with B Cocoa Artisan Chocolate at Suite 4A in The Finishing Touch Plaza. They opened at this location a couple of months ago and the business hours for the store are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5:00 p.m. All of the popsicles are made on site. 
True to their roots, the Gentry family can be found at the Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning with the delicious pops. Shannon, and her family, loves to go to the market.
Shannon developed her love of cooking from the Food Network TV shows after she married, almost 7 years ago. “When I had kids, I fell in love with making food for them,” she said. She now enjoys making artisan popsicles with gourmet flavors for everyone. The recipes for her popsicles started from a book, but are mostly trial and error with taste testing. “My favorite part of the job is coming up with new flavors,” she explained. She said that some of the flavors are suggested by customers, with the top seller being lavender lemonade.
“Our aim is to participate in the community and add a unique experience and use real quality ingredients. We use fruits that are in season, so the flavors change throughout the seasons,” Shannon said. However, the quality doesn’t change which keeps customers coming back for more.
– cindy kahler thomas
