Le Pops is likely no stranger to the people of Little Rock. They’ve held down a very successful shop in the Ottenheimer River Market Pavilion for some time now and their frozen treats, which they like to call “gourmet iced lollies,” have infiltrated specialty shops and restaurants all over the Little Rock area. But recently, the folks behind Le Pops felt like it was time for a change. They packed up their pops, closed shop in the River Market, and relocated to their new home off Kavanaugh in the Heights.

They are enjoying their new digs. While they did well in the River Market, they found that much of their business came from tourists and other visitors to Little Rock who commonly explored the area during their tour of the city. But owner Laurie Harrison wanted to be in closer contact with the citizens of Little Rock. In the Heights, she’s been able to do just that. Here, their days are spent feeding neighborhood families, couples looking to escape the heat for an hour or so, hungry Little Rock teens, and all sorts of passersby. And this neighborhood has already provided a very warm welcome to Le Pops.

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With the relocation, Laurie has expanded the Le Pops menu just a bit. Of course, there’s the always interesting assortment of ice pops. Those come in cream and fruit-based flavors. On our last visit, cream pops included salted carmel, coconut, Mexican chocolate, and vanilla. Fruit flavors offered included pear, cucumber watermelon, blackberry mango, avocado, and strawberry. But at the new shop you can decorate your pops in a number of ways…wrapped in a homemade waffle cone, dipped in white, milk, or dark chocolate, or coated in tasty bits such as toasted pecans, pralined almonds, chocolate sprinkles, Oreo cookie crumbs, or toasted coconut. If you’ve ever eaten their pops, you already know that their emphasis on fresh, seasonal, local ingredients helps them create an outstanding product…unlike anything you’ll find in the freezer isle at the grocery store.

But I’m very excited about the excellent shaved ice being offered…it’s definitely a cut above what you generally find at most corner sno-cone shops. They use a special Japanese ice shaving device to create a product that’s thin, wispy, and delicate. They top their ice with homemade natural syrups made from 100% real fruit. We tried a mixture of cherry and lime, and another with vanilla cream (I actually found the mixture of cherry and vanilla to be surprisingly great). 

It’s a small shop, but there’s lots of heart here. Le Pops is a wonderful addition to the Heights neighborhood. Laurie Harrison is incredibly dedicated to her product, she still works here 7 days a week and is constantly experimenting in the kitchen to develop new flavors.

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Check them out the next time you need a cool down. And look for some new menu additions in the coming weeks. Laurie is considering adding some fresh baked goods, and she’ll be doing some warm beverages in the winter.

Le Pops is located at 5501 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock. lepops.com. Find them on Facebook here. 501-313-9558.

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