Walking through the streets of downtown Greeley, you see distinct shops and eateries that represent diverse cultures. But on the corner in the heart of it all, you see a place filled with multiple flavors of an all-time classic snack: popcorn.
It’s not your average popcorn, but it’s Mom’s Popcorn. The store has over 100 flavors with 46 on display. Opening in Colorado four years ago, the community believed it to be a brand-new business. For Mom’s Popcorn, they date back to almost ten years ago in a different state.
The business opened their first location in Fremont, Nebraska, 11 years ago where owners Rebecca and Michael Victor first shared their love of popcorn to the Fremont community.
For the owners, popcorn wasn’t originally their choice for starting a business. They were thoughts of opening something different.
“We always talked about opening a restaurant, but suddenly when she started making popcorn, people started talking about it at my job,” Michael Victor said.
Once people started talking about popcorn at work, the idea of a popcorn shop popped off. The store became a reality after that.
With a name like Mom’s Popcorn, there’s wonder of what the motivation is behind the name. The name was thought of for a special someone in both their lives.
“Our son, we were trying to think of a name that’s catchy and we really wanted him to be a part of it before he left for college,” Rebecca Victor said.
Once business was booming, both looked to find another place to open a second location. That second location was a seven-hour drive away in a different state and environment.
The timing wasn’t the best as the COVID-19 pandemic began, causing shutdowns of all public life after opening their second location in 2020.
Following all guidelines, the business began to be a hit with the people by selling popcorn in curbside pickup and deliveries. Once the store opened, more people and community was found by working with other small businesses. Both owners have felt the appreciation and support from the community.
“We’ve felt a sense of community [that] is in downtown," Rebecca Victor said. "We meet up every month with the other businesses in town to help each other out and shout each other out."
The business is thriving as over seven machines are used to make the popcorn that community craves and hopes to continue in the future.
