5 Questions With MemPops Owner Chris Taylor, Plus Some Throwbacks

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Mempops celebrates five years of fresh fruit and cream popsicles this weekend! I remember when these guys were just one little converted mail truck, passing out popsicles in parking lots. 

Now, they have three brick-and-mortar locations and a mobile fleet of carts and trucks that hang out at parks and events around town.

To say thank you, MEMPops will offer $2 pops at all their locations this weekend only. It’s grab ’n’ go only, and be sure to wear your masks and social distance.

bright fushia fruity popiscle held up in front of grassy area and trees at Shelby Farms
Holly Whitfield

MEMPops locations:

  • 1243 Ridgeway Rd. in East Memphis
  • 1350 Concourse Ave. in Crosstown Concourse
  • 3670 Houston Levee in Collierville

Go to their website for hours and details. 

Here are five questions for five years of MEMPops with the shop’s owner, Chris Taylor: 

1. What is Mempop's origin story?

I wanted to open a restaurant, and my wife didn't think it was a good idea,  mainly because of the amount of time away from home. I had seen other pop shops in other cities and was interested in trying to create my own recipes. I started doing it at my house when I wasn't at work one summer, and I came up with some flavors I thought were pretty good.  

Bought a few carts and started going to events on my off days and eventually built up a small following, before I was even calling it Mempops.  I found the little mail truck and Memphis Made Brewing let me park it up there for the rest of the summer.  At that point I had settled on Mempops for the name and decided to quit my job and go for it. 

That's a short version of the story.

2. What's your personal favorite flavor?

I always say picking my favorite flavor is like picking my favorite child, just depends on the day. (I got him to commit to a top three:

  • Blackberry lemon rosé
  • Blackberry goat cheese
  • Cookies and cream

If you want some more favorites, my friend Jeff loves coffee, avocado lime, and Arnold Palmer, which I think is a really well-rounded top three. My other pal Elizabeth goes for key lime, as she said yesterday in our news update. As for me, I go for any fresh fruity one because they’re so refreshing—raspberry lemonade is so good on a summer day. 

See a partial list of current flavors at Mempops.com.

3. What's your dream for the next 5 years?

I would like Mempops to become a regional brand through the events that we do. We would also like to expand our brand in Memphis.

4. If you could make any flavor, what would it be?

That's a hard question to answer.  I like to make what people like to eat.

(Make a honey gold flavor, Chris!)

5. Who is the most famous person to ever buy a Mempop?

Kevin Bacon as far as I know.

Thank you Chris! Everyone go out and get you a two buck pop this weekend and tell ‘em happy birthday! 

shiny balloon of the number 5 and pink and white popsicles with confetti all around
Mempops

The Part Where I Get A LITTLE Sentimental

I was looking for an old photo of MEMPops, maybe their original mail truck. I wanted to show “look how far they’ve come!” But instead, I found a time capsule of the last 5-6 years in Memphis: photos and blog posts from so, so many events and festivals and trips and moments in my life where MEMPops has been.

Maybe it’s the nostalgia, maybe it’s the pandemic (it’s the pandemic), maybe it’s the endless festival cancellations, but darn y’all I’m getting emotional about popsicles! 

I have to share…

One of their earliest appearances, back when both MEMPops and Memphis Made were just li’l babies. Look at this truck! Look at the old version of the mural!

In 2016, I Love Memphis and Music Export Memphis loaded up a bunch of Memphis musicians and Memphis merch and set up a tent at the Americana Festival in Nashville to represent the 901.

All I remember is defending Memphis to everyone and that it was 1000 degrees.

MEMPops has been there for so many Memphis In May events, including several years at the I Love Memphis tent for 901 Fest. (Remember that event?) Again, so hot. Thank goodness for the mini-pops.

MEMPops providing refreshment again at an NBA Draft Watch Party we co-hosted with Grizzly Bear Blues. Feels like yesterday we were crossing our fingers for Jaren Jackson Jr. GOOD TIMES. 

And finally, this one really gets me. This is the 2018 Grilled Cheese Festival. MEMPops was there flexing their cheesy sandwich muscles. That’s the owner Chris Taylor. I love this collage. (#TucksAlmightyForever)

Thanks for the memories, Mempops!

girl in red baseball cap smiling and holding a cream pop from MEMpops

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