There have been at least 10 occasions this summer where I’ve claimed I *need* a popsicle to get me through another day of this North Carolina heat… and King of Pops has saved me from the brink of dehydration every time… quite possibly saving my life. Okay, maybe that’s a tad extreme but this heat has been unbearable at times and King of Pops happens to make incredibly refreshing popsicles and is conveniently available in areas that I frequent.

King of Pops is actually a chain and can be found in many cities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia (just in case you’re dying of heat in a city other than Charlotte). Three brothers started the company years ago after falling for popsicles while vacationing. I am so thankful they took that vacation!

The pops are either milk based or fruit based. I tend to go to for the fruit based ones since I limit my dairy intake, but I must say, the Chocolate Sea Salt one is INCREDIBLE. You can check out all the flavors here, and see which ones are made with your favorite flavors (and which are gluten free!).

Business is obviously booming as more and more carts are “popping” up around town. They’re always in NoDa and Plaza Midwood, but more recently, they’ve been seen in Ballantyne at the corporate park.

The pops are all natural and made with the freshest ingredients, their website even says you can catch the owners shopping at local farmers markets for fruits and herbs! For sweetening, they use organic cane sugar, honey and agave.

If you don’t want to drive around town to find a cart, you can visit their shop in Noda, just behind Noda Brewing and Birdsong’s old building. They have a storefront there with a nice porch where you can enjoy your pops. Prices have jumped around a bit, last summer they were $2.50, I’ve paid $3.00 for most of mine this summer, but did go up to $3.50 at the NC Music Factory during a show. Still, for fresh, quality ingredients and a cold popsicle, it’s totally worth it.