Jim Powell often frequented ice cream shops in Ogden while growing up. His father, Ray Powell, also made homemade ice cream every week.
In July 2007, Jim Powell fulfilled his dream to open his own ice cream shop, patterning it after his memories.
Powell is the co-owner of Pop’s, along with his wife JoNell. After operating the restaurant in two other locations in North Ogden, they recently moved to their third location — on 12th Street in Ogden.
Along the way, the couple has moved into more spacious accommodations and expanded the menu to include meals, in addition to old-fashioned ice cream treats, but the vision has always remained the same.
“This is all the places I remember,” Powell said, pointing out the chrome chairs with the sparkling ruby-red cushions that he had custom-made to look just like the ones at Pinky’s, an ice cream shop from his youth.
He is in the process of purchasing the original neon-red sign from Bud’s Drive-In, upon which he plans to place his own logo. And his one-of-a-kind banana split boats were a gift from the grandson of the owners of Coombe’s, another favorite ice cream shop of days gone by.
Powell’s dining room is decked out in 1950s memorabilia — including a jukebox he has had since he was a kid, and an old pinball machine.
Powell said he purposely rigged the pinball machine to work without coins so that parents would play the game with their kids and he would never hear them saying “no” because they didn’t have spare change.
“Our fries taste like you remember. Everything is the way it was,” Powell said, pointing to a basket of fries ($2.25).
All meals are served with fries or a salad, and a drink. The menu includes a 1/4-pound Hamburger ($7.75), made with meat that is hand-cut fresh every day; a Classic Hot Dog ($4.65), served split in half on a hamburger bun and deep-fried; and thick beer-battered onion rings.
JoNell’s specialty is Mrs. Pop’s Pulled Pork Sandwich ($6.75). She slow-cooks the meat for two days and douses it in a sweet and spicy homemade sauce. She also recommends the French Dip Sandwich ($6.75).
“I cook a real roast beef and use the juices to make the au jus,” she said.
Pop’s serves Farr’s ice cream in a variety of flavors, as cones ($2.15), shakes ($4.35), sundaes ($2.75) and banana splits ($4.95).
POP’S
- ADDRESS: 310 12th St., Ogden
- HOURS: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-8 p.m. Sundays
- PHONE: 801-737-9067