‘Gr8 Comeback’: PopAKernel buzzing in Brownsburg

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (WISH) — When Kim and Jerrod Cox opened up their PopAKernel shop, they never imagined they would be starting a business at the start of a global pandemic.

“It started out a little rocky,” Kim said.

Still the shop, which currently features 22 flavors of popcorn, survived with drive-by deliveries and the help of the people of Brownsburg as word started to get around town.

“Soon as everything opened back up, the people came in to support us,” Kim said. “It’s just something special. It’s the popcorn experience.”

“You can see it being popped fresh, us making it; we bag, we seal, we label [and] we do everything right here in our store,” Jerrod said.

The husband and wife duo say not only do they make fresh bags of each day, but they also put some “love” in each bag. Eight months later, the demand for their popcorn is growing and they’ve even expanded into a retail shop with clothing, memorabilia and more.

“It’s called the Pop Shop,” Kim said. The shop was inspired by an effort to raise funds and help families during the Christmas season and when they saw the opportunity to use more space, Kim decided a shop was perfect for the space, welcoming more people into her family’s atmosphere.

The Cox family and friends say even if you don’t have a taste for what they already have in the store, they can make a flavor just for you.

“A lot of flavors we have now come from the public,” Kim said. She says from the classic buttery popcorn to even pickle and ranch flavors, customers get a lot of input on what PopAKernel will make next.