When they opened Deep South Pops on June 15, 2015, the team comprised Jake, Kristy, and one other employee. The business was quite demanding for them. Kristy and Jake would have to wake up at 3 in the morning, which is something they were not used to before. The first week was unexpected and busy. It featured almost an all-around schedule. There were a few hours of the day when they were at the same place at the same time. In the first month and a half of opening Deep South Pops when Jake and Kristy were getting up at the wee hours of the morning, and kind of passing one another briefly during the day. It seemed like it was going to be a little bit too hard. What they ended up with was a very different picture and a very different capacity. Jake was able to spend a lot more quality time than he was able to do before. They received tons of support from their employees family and friends when adjusting to their new life. The new normal was pretty great since it allowed them to grow as a new family and the kids blossomed because of their influence.

When Jake and Kristy opened Deep South Pops, they were inspired by other similar shops in the Southeast area. They decided to break the mold and do their version. Most of the other shops only offered counters but did not have dining areas. They created Deep South Pops as a meeting place for people, where families could sit while enjoying the service. The logo was created by Creative Distillery, while the building’s layout was designed by architect Vito Cannizaro. They also added to the menu sodas, craft beer, sorbets, and gelato ice cream. Other items in the menu included chocolate-dip floats, pop floats, La Brioche pastries, handcrafted gourmet pops. Jake and Kristy wanted Deep South Pops to be a place for the community to meet, make new connections, and rekindle old ones as well.

Since 2015, Deep South Pops makes all popsicles on-site. They only use natural ingredients when producing popsicles and use locally-sourced materials when possible. For instance, the Strawberry and basil popsicle, which is quite good, is made using freshly-cut strawberry and basil creating an amazing flavor. They also offer a selection of floats, including beer floats which can be made with the popsicles. There was a selection of 4 to 16 flavors anytime you walked into Deep South Pops. The rotating flavors included Watermelon Lime Mint, Lemon Lavender Buttermilk, Arnold Palmer, Creole Cream Cheesecake, and Lime Buttermilk. The rotation of flavor ensured that all the products used are in season. Jake’s repertoire of recipes comprised more than forty possible flavors, although the list evolved from time to time.

The most loved flavors are creole cream cheesecake and buttermilk (which taste a little bit like creamy vanilla). They source their creole cream cheese from a small dairy farmer in South Mississippi who has kept the tradition for many years. Jake’s favorite popsicle is the grapefruit rosemary which has quite a distinctive flavor and is very delicious.