When was the last time you had gelato on a stick? Yeah, it does exist. Pop Bar is one of New York’s most beloved spots for ice-cream fanatics. Not to mention, the flavors and colors will leave you crawling back for seconds. #CheatdayErrday!

Co-Founder Daniel Yaghoubi is one of the masterminds behind the ever-so-famous Pop Bar or as we like to call it, magical goodness on a stick, located in the West Village of NYC. The joint was opened in May of 2010 and has been in the spotlight of ice-cream lovers ever since.

“The idea was around selling gourmet popsicles on the go and from there we came up with Pop Bar.”

Born in Germany, Daniel is no ordinary foodie. One, he doesn't weigh over 200 pounds (just kidding) and two, he never went to any sort of culinary school. In fact, Daniel’s past life consists of him being a music producer for seven years before starting Pop Bar. Warning: do not confuse this for being a DJ. Daniel does not DJ, but engineers sounds. He was also a Graphic Design major from Hofstra University back in the day. “I worked at Integrated Studios for a couple of years but realized that the music industry was not the surrounding I wanted to be in. I am a person who likes to have control of their own destiny.”

The Aha Moment

“There was never an aha moment for me. I knew I wanted to create something in the food industry and got together with a family friend/Co-Founder, Reuben Benjehuda, and started brainstorming for ideas. One idea was to make gourmet popsicles. Reuben was Italian, so naturally, he wanted to bring the gelato aspect into it. We moved through the process really quickly.” The idea came into inception in 2009 and boom, one year later, Pop Bar had opened up its first store.

The Challenges

Daniel mentions how building a business was a big challenge at the age of 26. “I was young so I didn't overthink things and this gave me a good opportunity to take risks and create a vision moving forward.” The ingredients used are very traditional alongside an infusion of American culture flavors such as peanut butter and pumpkin pie. Our favorite licks are coconut dipped in dark chocolate + green tea (must try!). “We like to stay preservative free and gluten free. However, our biggest challenge was to get a creamy taste without having the gelato melt off the stick too quickly. You really only have one chance to get it right and you can’t change your recipe as you go. You can tweak it, but that’s it.”

“Having a store itself is the strongest platform for promoting a brand, especially in the location we have.”

Daniel tells us how his biggest marketing platform has been the shop itself. The display is set up to be very vibrant and eye appealing to create curiosity as people walk by. PR and press have also been impactful for the brand. “The New York Times came in on the first day we opened and I have done a lot of collaboration events with friends in the fashion industry. We also rolled out our catering services around the time when mini cupcakes were taking off. Brands such as Rag & Bone and Alexander Wang engaged in these branded sticks with their logos for fashion parties which helped increase our reach.”

The advice? “Make the best product because that is how you will get returning customers.” Looking towards the future, Pop Bar offers worldwide franchises and catering services for parties. Help spread the love by setting up your own local Pop Bar or head on over to the West Village for one of the best popsicles you will ever experience.

Photo courtesy of Pop Bar.