Popfancy, Bellaire dessert shop, emerges from humble beginnings
Popfancy, a gourmet popsicle shop, celebrated the grand opening of its first permanent location in Bellaire on Saturday.
The interior is whimsical, combining modern design with pink and iridescent decorations. Popfancy’s staple menu items are its gourmet popsicles, including flavors such as Thai tea, horchata and pineapple mojito. The new permanent location has expanded the menu to include more creative options, such as mochi waffles.
The popsicles are marketed as all-natural and made fresh daily, with frequently changing flavors according to trends and seasons. The founder, Chris Doan, described the beginnings of Popfancy as very humble.
“We started this with pennies, no capital, no inve stment partners … It was all self-funded,” Doan said. “We started out on a tricycle going around town to different events, different neighborhoods, small little soccer games.”
This mobile system eventually evolved from a catering model to a food truck and now, to a permanent storefront. Doan said he had no food experience, but had always loved branding and designing. He wanted something easy to brand, and so he decided on ice cream.
“I used to be an architect. [I] hated the corporate world. It was so much different than like what school was, so I wanted to find something to escape the corporate world,” Doan said.
Doan explained that much of the inspiration behind Popfancy was recreating childhood nostalgia. Whether through its unique flavors, such as cereal milk popsicles, or the bright interior design, Doan intended for Popfancy to stand out from other ice cream shops. “I am a big Disney kid,” Doan said. “Walt Disney said this really amazing quote that always stuck with me — you never ever want to design for kids because adults are just kids grown up, so design for everybody. So I apply that to how Popfancy translates to branding.”
Doan’s favorite items include the mangonada, taro and avocado popsicles, as well as the flurry ice cream, which blends favorite childhood cereals with ice cream. “This is a place for us to get creative and think of whatever dessert trends are out there and create them ourselves,” said Doan.
I tried two of the gourmet popsicles, the cereal milk and strawberry cheesecake popsicles. The cereal milk popsicle, complete with Fruity Pebbles inside, reminded me of childhood breakfasts — it tastes exactly as its name suggests.
The strawberry cheesecake popsicle satisfied my sweet tooth with its rich and creamy flavor topped off with a graham cracker crumble. Combining the classic childhood treat with sophisticated and unique flavors, Popfancy is the perfect dessert spot for anyone, but especially for the nostalgic.
Popfancy’s new location, 9393 Bellaire Blvd., Suite A6, is open from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from noon to midnight Friday and Saturday.
More from The Rice Thresher
Amy Hobby: from Rice to Oscar nominee
Before its permanent closure in 2021, the Rice Media Center was home to film students at Rice. One particular alumna, Academy Award-nominated producer Amy Hobby ’87, has been one of the most notable people to come out of Rice’s film department, having worked alongside Tim Burton, David Lynch and Steven Soderbergh throughout her three-decade career.
Gift ideas to save you this season
If you’ve got a white elephant coming up that you’re scratching your head over or a Secret Santa that you can’t seem to crack, consider one of the six options below to perish your present woes.
Review: “Gladiator 2” is fine
Around the beginning of the semester, I found myself writing about legacy sequels, so it feels fitting, and somewhat indicative of Hollywood’s stagnation, to end the semester doing the same. “Gladiator II” is a direct continuation of the Best Picture award-winning “Gladiator”, with director Ridley Scott returning to his acclaimed film with an almost entirely new cast of characters.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.