The Place for Popcorn Lovers

Gibbon woman's creativity, cooking lead
to tasteful new store

By TAMMY SKRDLANT
e-mail to: tammy.skrdlant@kearneyhub.com 
Hub Regional Editor
 

GIBBON - Popcorn is a science.

"People think it's just popcorn. But there is a science to popcorn," said Cheryl Hughes, owner of H.R. Poppin' Snacks and The Pop Inn of Gibbon.

For starters, research into popcorn brands took about a year before she settled on B.K. Heuermann Popcorn of Phillips.

"I wanted to do primarily Nebraska things," she said, adding that she was pleased to find quality popcorn grown in central Nebraska.

Hughes and a friend opened H.R. Poppin' Snacks out of the Bulldog Cafe in Shelton in 2001. She opened The Pop Inn in downtown Gibbon in March 2002 and is planning a grand opening celebration in the next couple of months.

In addition to flavored popcorn, the menu includes coffee, chocolates and Krispy Kreme doughnuts that can be enjoyed in the cafe-type atmosphere. Centerpieces on the vinyl lace covered tables are plastic popcorn buckets that hold cream, sugar and other coffee necessities. A mug rack holds coffee mugs for The Pop Inn's regular customers.

In December 1999, Hughes' husband Gary, purchased equipment from Rich Chandler, manager of the former Munchville in Kearney's Hilltop Mall. Gary had hoped to resell the items. Instead, Hughes thought it would be fun to use the equipment and sell popcorn wholesale.

The large air popper can pop 200 pounds of popcorn an hour, after which the popcorn is sifted twice to remove the hulls and then placed into tubs. Cookers with augers are used when the flavoring is added.

HER FAVORITE part of running the business is coming up with new popcorn flavors.

"I'm a creative person," she said. "That's my personality. I enjoy that part a lot - research, development, trying different things, figuring out how it works.

"I love people and I love popcorn."

When she started the business, Hughes had seven to 10 flavors. Some flavors have changed because of product availability, and now she regularly features 25 flavors. She also invents holiday flavors, such as Hugs and Kisses for Valentine's Day and Tutti Frutti Shamrock for St. Patrick's Day. She plans to enter three flavors in an upcoming Nebraska Food Industry Association contest.

Gary is diabetic, so Hughes experimented with sugar-free recipes. She said she can make almost any popcorn flavor sugar-free.

Popcorn can be ordered in various colors for schools, weddings or other occasions. Hughes said organizations can use popcorn as fund-raisers, and she can have the organization's logo printed on the popcorn containers.

Hughes' flavored popcorn is available at the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument in Kearney, Sapp Bros. in Odessa, Petro service station in York, Nebraska Food and Gift in Hastings and Bosselman's truck plaza at Grand Island. Candee Fluff cotton candy is sold at the Kearney Family YMCA and the Tri-City Arena.

Hughes said she can ship products anywhere and has sent things as far away as Hawaii and Germany.

The Pop Inn is open 8 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.⁽¹⁾

Hughes said she hopes to be open some weekends during crane watching season to benefit visitors to Rowe Sanctuary south of Gibbon.