Mr. Franklin worked in the telecommunications field for 17 years. He moved to Jackson from Birmingham two years ago with his wife and children. He said "I've been dreaming about running a business with my family. My family and I like working together. We home-school our children."
Mr. Franklin said "Over the years, I dreamed about some kind of business but let the dreams pass by. About a year ago I watched a movie that inspired me to get off my butt. It was The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. That movie rang true with me. The next day, we started trying to figure out how to pay for a business and what it would take."
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| Jake Franklin |
Deep South Pops makes all pops on-site. Only natural ingredients are used in the production of the pops and they are locally sourced when possible. One example is the strawberry and basil pop (KF note: It was quite good.). Fresh strawberries and basil were cut yesterday morning and used to make that particular flavor. Deep South also offers a variety of floats that can be made with the pops (Yes, there is a beer float.). There are at any given time four to sixteen flavors. Mr. Franklin said there are over forty possible flavors in his repertoire of recipes although the list is constantly evolving.
The most popular flavors are Buttermilk (It tastes like a very creamy vanilla) and creole cream cheesecake. A small dairy farmer in South Mississippi kept the creole cream cheese tradition alive and provides it to Deep South. Mr. Franklin said his favorite pop is the grapefruit rosemary.
Deep South sells ten different craft beers. Most of them are produced in Mississippi and include brands such as Lazy Magnolia, Southern Prohibition, and Mississippi Brewing. A full coffee menu is offered with ingredients provided by Mississippi Coffee Company. The gelato ice cream is made by Sweet Magnolia Ice Cream Company in Clarksdale.
Mr. Franklin said he has two full-time and ten part-time employees. "I have not had any 'What have I done moments". He said "I have loved every minute of it. I come from a corporate world. I like to speak to people while I'm here."
How has Deep South Pops done since it opened? Mr. Franklin's biggest problem has been meeting demand. He said "We did not anticipate the response we got. We were hoping to average 150 pops a day when we opened. We averaged 350 per day and now average 550 pops per day. We sold almost 1,900 last weekend. That is not counting other products. All pops are $3."
Deep South also has pages on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Creative Distillery designed the logo and branding. Architect Vito Cannizaro designed the layout of the building.
16 comments:
I'm so glad to see this building back in good use again. I heard about this place, but wasn't sure where it was. I will go visit. Thanks KF for supporting local businesses.
8:39, when you do, I would suggest the cheesecake Popsicle. I'm confident it's the best Popsicle I've ever had.
Walter Mitty.
Other folks will be here to lob bombs at Jackson soon enough, but it's good to see Franklin stepping out there to follow a dream. It's not going to change Jackson, and I'm not going to make the trip to this location often, but it's great to have unique businesses like this in the area, and I wish him all the best.
La Brioche is another example. I've only been there a couple of times because I just don't go into Jackson much anymore (I can get everything I need in other places), but it's a great addition to the area, and I hope their success continues. Maybe both of these will expand to other locations in the metro one day. One can hope, right?
Cool! Looking forward to stopping by.
Definitely try the cheesecake pop.
I have not spent one penny inside the Jackson city limits in more than three years, and I'll not break that streak for a "gourmet" popsicle. However, I'm glad the Fondren hipsters have another place to hang their fedoras. Too bad this business will fall by the wayside before winter. Not only do I not spend money in Jackson (and that includes not attending New Stage, the MSO, the museum, etc.), I do want to see Jackson implode. A phoenix can only arise from ashes, not from a semi-destroyed crime-hole. A couple of weeks ago, I had an important meeting in downtown Jackson that would have required me paying to park. Even that was too much, so I convinced my boss to let me participate via Skype. Leaving Jackson was the best thing I ever did. (Now waiting for the JFP mouthbreathers that lurk here to discredit me.)
Hope you feel better after writing all dat.
Now get lost and stay lost.
2:43
It's because you are cheap.
And small.
And angry.
Glad I don't wake up every morning, or go to bed at night, as pissed off as 2:43.
Wow, I can't imagine skipping fun restaurants and entertainment because I want to prove a stupid point about an area. I enjoy living in Rankin, but love to visit all the great things Jackson, Madison and other nearby areas offer as well. That is a sad life. I'm looking forward to visiting Deep South Pops.
I've been meaning to try that place out but I was thinking it was in the Fondren district before I read this. I'll check it out this weekend for sure.
7:01 - I'm sure the Fondren district will claim this. I will try it out.
@2:43- thanks for helping the rest of us out and keeping the wait down at this place, Lou's, Manship and Pig and Pint. You're only hurting yourself not trying these places out. I'm sure the Jackson city counsel will have to try a new bond proposal or tax hike as the lack of your parking fee has dealt the final blow to their infrastructure. A better Jackson means a better Ridgeland, Brandon, Clinton, pearl, Richland and Madison.
After drumming up a shit-storm about the evils of Jackson (and Fondren) every three hours for the past five years, Kingfish tells somebody who disses Fondren (and Jackson) to get lost and stay lost. This guy must be either psycho or have some sort of multiple personality disorder issues...which equates to psycho.
But, craft beer and trendy popsicles sounds like they may be a game changer. Indeed.
"Honey, round up the kids and let's drive into Jackson for a Popsicle. What say?"
8:39 sez "I heard about this place but wasn't sure where it was." Sure you did. Liar.
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