Pop Art: Popular pop stand expands

Ed Griffin of Tuscaloosa, Ala., owner of Griff’s Deli and PopWorks, discusses popsicle flavors with employee Cassady Puckett of Bowling Green. Over 700 popsicles are made daily using Micah Griffin’s homemade recipes. 

Kalee Chism

Avocado, raspberry basil, lime, strawberry balsamic, mango, peanut butter, buttermilk, banana—all of these flavors and many more are offered in sweet, summery popsicles located at the new stand on Scottsville Road.

These popsicles can be found nestled in a small Airstream trailer hidden by Griff’s Deli. This unusual vendor is called PopWorks, a gourmet popsicle stand.

PopWorks is owned by the husband and wife team of Ed and Micah Griffin, who also own Griff’s Deli. They got the idea for a popsicle stand after they saw an expansion of gourmet popsicle businesses throughout the U.S. 

“It’s a really cool concept that we saw trending in some other areas and we thought it would be really cool to add to the local area of Bowling Green since it’s a unique business,” Ed Griffin said. 

PopWorks uses all-natural, locally grown ingredients whenever available to make the popsicles.

“We have a coffee pop we get from Spencer’s coffeehouse, blueberry pop from Middle Bridge farm, raspberries from another local farmer; we use Jackson’s Orchard peaches for the peach pop,” Ed Griffin said. 

“We’re trying to source as much as we can from the local community and give back to the community and build the community, so it’s pretty fun.” 

These popsicles are not the average frozen treat most customers expect. PopWorks offers flavors from peanut butter to strawberry balsamic. Although Ed Griffin’s personal favorite is key lime pie, cookies and cream ranks as one of the most popular flavors. 

“My favorite flavor is cookies and cream, but I’ve tried many of the others,” Rebecca Haynes, Russell County sophomore, said. “I think that it’s a really unique business, with all the one-of-a-kind flavors, and it’s a really cool idea.”

Employees working at the gourmet popsicle stand say it definitely has its perks. 

“Everyone just gets so excited whenever I hand them a popsicle because they’re so good,” PopWorks employee Samantha Tabor said when asked what her favorite part of her job was. 

After opening this summer, PopWorks has had more clientele than expected, and they’re anticipating even more business as the school year begins and WKU students flock back to Bowling Green. 

“It’s a big part of our community, having Western come and the students back in session,” Ed Griffin said. 

Because of the impending colder months, PopWorks is rethinking their vendor Airstream trailer and planning an expansion. Starting Sept. 1, PopWorks will be leasing an indoor space next to Griff’s Deli to provide a comfortable location when the temperature drops.

During the spring, they are planning to have the Airstream vendor go out and participate in local events in hopes of expanding to other areas.

Ed said they plan on “testing out other markets, and taking it all over the place.

“The idea is to grow this into other communities as well,” he said.