Mr. Popcorn offers specialty popcorn

Susie Failing makes fresh popcorn at Mr. Popcorn in Longmont.

Courtesy of Mr. Popcorn

To some, it may seem odd that a new business has quietly started in central Longmont, specifically because of what they sell. Located right next to other specialty food vendors, like seafood and a long enduring butcher & meat market, this new business sells another, very different food item — popcorn.

This isn't the popcorn that comes in small, folded microwaveable envelopes, but a high quality, hybrid corn that comes straight from the middle of America, covered in a variety of hand-crafted coatings, including caramel, cheese and cinnamon. It's also not the mass produced and yet very effectively marketed corn that hails currently from Chicago (at a very high price).

The origins of this new Longmont resident takes us back to Casper, Wyo., in 1929, when a gentlemen named Bill O'Sullivan created popcorn recipes and started the Karmelkorn company, which became a nationwide sensation in the era of indoor malls. In 1986, the Karmelkorn brand was sold to the parent company that owned Dairy Queen and Orange Julius, and as a result, the well known Karmelkorn shops faded away across the country.

Years before this transition, Ron and Susie Failing bought into the legendary franchise when they took ownership of the Karmelkorn shop at Tiffany Plaza in south Denver. From this beginning, the Failings have opened numerous popcorn outlets in Wheat Ridge, Arvada and Westminster, creating a huge following in every location. They have brought that popcorn heritage to Longmont with Mr. Popcorn, at 900 Coffman St., Longmont.

The hand crafted quality that Mr. O'Sullivan started in 1929 Wyoming survives today in the small batch, handmade and excellent offerings at Mr. Popcorn, which include popcorn balls and novelties in addition to the classic flavored loose corn. A visit to Mr. Popcorn typically starts with a sample of the product and a quick tutorial on sizes, prices and how best to keep the popcorn fresh at home.

All products at Mr. Popcorn are made on site, within view of the front counter, providing proof of the skills and straight forward ingredients that make this popcorn a one-of-a-kind treat.

"We make everything just like we always have," owner Ron Failing said, "We do all of our mixing by hand in large copper kettles, unlike the machines that many of the copycats might use." This traditional approach appears to work, as the Failings popcorn enterprises have always enjoyed a very loyal local customer base, and one that tends to follow them to new locations, no matter where they might pop up.

Owner Susie Failing commented, "It might take a little time, but once someone stops by and tries our popcorn, we typically see them again and again. It gets to be like an extended family."

Unlike the Karmelkorn shops of old, Mr. Popcorn does not aim itself at, or depend on, a high volume of foot traffic. Rather, it is more of a destination retailer. While it is certainly a bit out of the way, especially to those from outside Longmont, Mr. Popcorn is worth the trip every time.

In a time of giant conglomerates and chain retailers, Mr. Popcorn is a throwback to an earlier era, when quality tended to beat out quantity and speed almost every time.