In the heart of Solon, Pop Culture CLE is redefining the frozen dessert experience with bold flavors, vibrant decor and a mission rooted in dietary inclusivity. Founded in 2018 by Solon native Nicole Dauria, the shop specializes in ultra-creamy, no-churn ice cream pops with a variety of vegan and gluten-free options.
With more than 21 rotating flavors that can be topped, coated and customized, each pop is a work of art, both in taste and presentation. Pop Culture CLE has become a local destination for playful desserts and personalized catering, offering everything from bicycle carts for weddings to a 4,000-pop-capacity food truck.
Cleveland Magazine: When did you first open up the shop, and what was your reason behind it?
Nicole Dauria: I opened six years ago. There was a lack of vegan products. Dairy bothers my stomach, so when I went to other ice cream shops, there were very limited offerings. I just said to myself, “There’s got to be something I can do.”
CM: What’s your base for the vegan ice cream popsicles? Some of the other desserts on your menu accommodate certain dietary restrictions. What inspired you to incorporate those items into your menu?
ND: Coconut milk is the majority base that we use. We also use rice milk, and some of them are just fruit, so it’s a sorbet. I don’t eat gluten as much as I used to. I started making some products, and we had a demand for more.
CM: What was the inspiration behind the decorations?
ND: You know, it's a social media world, and everyone is posting pictures of themselves at places. So I thought, why not make it an Instagrammable opportunity? But pictures can go on any social media, so I started doing some research. I love art, so I started incorporating my vision into the store. When I bought the building, we took it to a white canvas and used all of the artwork, furniture and decorations to make the white pop.
CM: Why did you choose Solon for your storefront location? How does it feel to work in the community you grew up in?
ND: I am a resident of Solon. I’m a Solon High School graduate, and I’ve lived here all my life. It's almost surreal. Thinking back, I used to ride my bike on the streets here and go to the local ice cream shop that was in the area. It's really awesome because I am able to give back to the community that I grew up in.
CM: How do you come up with new flavors, and what are some of your personal favorites?
ND: During COVID, they shut down all the restaurants, and I had no idea what I was going to do. So I sat down at my kitchen table and said, "I'm going to come up with new recipes and ideas." So I decided to take my favorite desserts and turn them into ice cream bars. Creme brulee is a Best of Cleveland award winner. We also came up with s'mores, which is a chocolate custard ice cream that we top with marshmallow cream and then roast it right in front of the customer and roll it in graham cracker crumbs. A lot of what I wanted to do at this retail location was to create an experience. So, torching the product in front of the customer is very awe-inspiring. Our product is no-churn, meaning there's no air whipped into it. So when you make ice cream differently, you eat ice cream differently. Best Of CLE: Dessert-On-A-Stick
CM: What are some people’s reactions when they walk into your shop for the first time?
ND: Every single person that walks to the door looks around and says, “Wow”. And that was what I was going for when I first opened. I want people to have that “wow” experience both when they come into our shop and when they taste our product. I had a customer come in recently and she said, "This is something that you would find in New York, Miami, L.A., and it is like a hidden gem right here in Solon, Ohio.”
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