Popcorn store heads downtown
BY NICOLE MARSHALL MIDDLETON World Scene Writer
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
10/23/12 at 4:29 PM
The caramel popcorn that Tom Phillips’ mom made every year for their family inspired him to open Premier Popcorn in midtown.
And the shop is doing so well, Phillips is days away from opening another location, this time in downtown Tulsa.
“The whole concept came from my mom. She used to make caramel popcorn every Halloween when we were kids, but then she lost the recipe,” Phillips said. “About three years ago, she found it, so she made it in huge batches and gave it to us for Christmas along with the recipe.”
Phillips tried the recipe and created his own version — caramel chipotle. The popcorn was so well liked by his friends and family, he decided to go into business.
The Premier Popcorn at 3711 S. Harvard Ave. features 36 flavors of popcorn and has been open for a year and nine months. He plans to open the new location, between Main Street and Boulder Avenue on Fifth Street, the first week in November.
“I have wanted to be downtown for a long time, but I wasn’t sure what the correct form for the store would be. We thought about doing a pop-up shop, but then we found a space that was willing to work with us,” Phillips said.
Phillips hopes the new store will draw downtown workers looking for a quick snack and that the store even becomes as popular here as the Garrett Popcorn Shop is in Chicago.
“They have people lining up around the block waiting for popcorn,” Phillips said.
Seasonal flavors such as pumpkin pie and chocolate mocha are available now. Other flavors include caramel apple, jalapeno cheddar and cinnamon bun.
The chocolate flavors are always popular, such as peanut butter-chocolate and tuxedo, with chocolate and white chocolate drizzled over caramel.
“It’s just something fun that people can pop in and buy to snack on,” Phillips said.
Read more food stories in Wednesday's Tulsa World or online at tulsaworld.com/food.
Associated Images:
Premiere Popcorn is about to open a second location in downtown Tulsa. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World
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