Chill out on LBI with POPularity's gelato and sorbetto popsicles

POPularity, a new ice cream shop in Beach Haven, offers a unique twist on the tasty, summer treat with gelato and sorbetto popsicles. Made on-site daily, the frozen treats can be found drizzled in chocolate and topped with rainbow sprinkles, chocolate chips, pretzels and more.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
Gelato popsicles beckon customers
from one of the shop's display cases.

The sorbetto popsicles, made with fresh fruit, are dairy- and gluten-free and include kiwi-banana, mango and mixed berry flavors.

“It’s like you’re having dessert,” said Niki Settimo, an employee at the shop, who helped create the different flavors. She said she opts for the sorbetto because she is lactose intolerant.

Made with cream instead of milk and egg yolks like traditional American ice cream, the gelato popsicles can be found in classic Italian flavors, including amaretto, moka (coffee) and pistachio. Other fun and delicious flavors include cookies and cream, blue cotton candy, Funfetti birthday cake, Nutella and s’mores.

“We were looking to bring something fun and unique to the Island, something different and a little more current,” said Tracy Donovan, who owns POPularity with her husband, Tim; they have a summer home in Beach Haven. “Ice cream was always a thought, but we didn’t want to do your standard ice cream or fro-yo shop. There’s one on every corner,” she added.

Tracy said she began to notice that ice pops were starting to become a trend, so she took a course on making gelato, which she learned can be frozen into the shape of popsicles.

Photo by Jack Reynolds
POPularity co-owner Tracy Donovan
drizzles a popsicle with chocolate sauce.

Bonus: They also do not melt as quickly as traditional ice pops, which means they are not as messy to eat.

Once Tracy learned the basics, she and Tim began to modify the flavors to appeal to kids, teens and adults, from mint chocolate chip and peanut butter to coconut and salted caramel. A special flavor is also available on weekends.

“I kind of love them all, but my favorite is pistachio,” said Tracy. “To me, it just speaks ‘Italian ice cream.’ It’s not one that you really find in a traditional ice cream shop.”

After the couple purchased the “nearly dilapidated building” on the Island a few years ago, many renovations were made to give the shop a more urban yet beachy flair. The dark wooden slats, bright, polka dot-covered walls, energetic music and fashionable merchandise from T-shirts and tote bags to sunglasses, are reminiscent of the culture in Manhattan, where the owners live and work as the curators of a film studio.

The Donovans’ background in marketing and design has played a major role in the advertising and set-up of POPularity. A “selfie wall” in the shop is one way customers get to engage with each other and enjoy the ice cream experience. Patrons are encouraged to share pictures of themselves eating their favorite POPularity popsicle on the store’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages using #POPULARITYPOPS.

“It’s a whole experience. It’s not just about the popsicle,” said Tracy. “It’s been very fun. The selfie wall, I think, is completely unique. I’ve never seen it anywhere else. It’s big with the kids and the adults alike.”

Although POPularity just opened Memorial Day weekend, customers have been eager to stop in and try the popsicles, said Tracy. Most of the promotion of the shop has been through social media and word-of-mouth, she added.

The sorbetto and gelato popsicles cost $4 each, including tax and toppings of the customer’s choice, such as graham crackers, peanuts, pistachios and salt.

The shop is open Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. The store will be open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., from the end of June until Labor Day weekend.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.