Shhhh. Locopops' founder would be blushing up a storm if she knew we were telling her story again! So lean a little closer and learn the Loco Lore.

What do you get when you take a corporate expat with a big idea, a love of great flavors and an age-old technique for making frozen desserts? An idea just crazy enough to work!

Though it makes the Southern belle who started the business blush a little, Locopops is a bona fide success. But if you'd looked at the business plan back in 2005, you probably would have thought these founder Summer Bicknell was a little loco herself.

In 2004, Summer had a good corporate gig going in Nashville (no, she was not managing Rascal Flatts), but she was ready for a change. Inspiration hit while enjoying a flavorful frozen pop, called a paleta. She figured could make these good treats better. So she ditched her job and those fancy suits to begin building her own business.

Putting her MBA to good use, she did some market and production research and eventually decided to move to Tlazazalca, a town in the southwest Mexico state of Michoacan. There, she undertook a three-month apprenticeship at a paleteria, learning to combine traditional Mexican flavors that provided a refreshing kick. She was on her way.

Summer chose Durham, N.C., as the home base for her new venture. Keeping it simple, she leased a shell of a building near the Duke Campus and Ninth Street, outfitted it with little more than two freezers, a basic kitchen and some whiteboards, and opened Locopops in 2005.

Connie Semans was one of the first fanatical customers. And she just happened to be looking for a new opportunity. She'd bagged a corporate job in information technology and was plotting her next move between tending to her young'uns and engaging in what she calls "extreme preserving". During this time, she made jams, jellies, pickles and sauces, all sourced from the finest local ingredients. She made so much of the stuff, she was giving it away.

The two talked frequently about their interest in mixing flavors and local ingredients. Over time, it became clear that they shared a desire to run a different kind of business – one that makes money, naturally, but also supports the community in a variety of ways. But it took a jar of Connie's blueberry citrus marmalade for Summer to realize the two could be great business partners.  

Locopops expanded from its original store and inked distribution deals with other local merchants who shared Summer and Connie’s values. Seeing additional opportunities, the duo began investigating new lines of business. In 2010, Connie left Locopops to tend to her growing family and start her own venture.