Franchisee Nikka Gutierrez is preparing to open the latest Paleta Bar at 3977 S Arizona Ave in Chandler sometime within the next couple of weeks, however, 2023 will see her launch as many as four more outposts throughout the Tempe and greater Phoenix region, according to Gutierrez and company founder Dipo Alam.
“The Paleta Bar is a unique franchise out of New Mexico that has grown quickly across the Valley here in Arizona,” Gutierrez tells What Now Phoenix. “Our location is family-owned and operated and we place a high value on family and community, which is why we cannot wait to be a part of the Chandler Ocotillo community. We look forward to bringing our delicious paletas from our family to yours!”
Paleta Bar functions much like any other ice cream shop, however, instead of getting the treat in a bowl or cone, it’s served popsicle style, with fruity flavors such as lime, mango, and avocado, as well as more traditional choices like cookies n cream, strawberry, and vanilla. What really sets this place apart though is the dipping that coats the pop – dark chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate, or powdered chili & chamoy – allowing for a wide variety of toppings to adorn it, plus fresh fruit on the sides.
The origins of Paleta Bar are as unique as the concept itself, as Alam founded the company in 2017 as an Indonesian immigrant who initially came to the US to play professional soccer.
It was while living in Albuquerque that Alam got his first taste of a paleta – or ice pop in Spanish – and as they say, it was love at first bite. Some 10 years later, he teamed up with the sons of a paleta shop dubbed La Michoacana de Paquime, and in 2017, the young entrepreneurs had already opened three locations of their own creation.
Having since grown the company to more than 30 locations nationwide, Alam stated in an interview with Albuquerque Business First earlier this year, “We were simply a local mom-and-pop shop with a vision and a world of faith, patience, and persistence.”
