POParella's

"While I was there, my niece and nephew opened a popcorn store," he said. "I was intrigued."

Since the store's opening, POParella's offerings have grown from a few dozen flavors to more than 50 flavors in both sweet and savory varieties, ranging from the longtime customer favorite Dill Pickle to the more adventurous Banana Cream Cheesecake, which Gary said attracts its share of skeptics.

"It's like anything else, you have to try [new flavors]," Gary said. "It's just a matter of putting it together."

The menu is not the only thing that has taken off at POParella's. In the past few years, the Paparellas have forged partnerships to sell popcorn at various local businesses, including a nearby Cinemark movie theater and Pole Position Raceway. In addition, the business is one of the original sponsors of the local NBA Development League team, the Texas Legends.

The family's ties to the community also extend to charity work. Gary and Liza serve respectively as vice president and public relations chairwoman for Spirit of a Hero, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting critically injured service members with financial and moral support and helping them as they return home.

The Paparellas were inspired to aid injured veterans after reading the story of Army Staff Sgt. Travis Mills, who became a quadruple amputee as a result of an encounter with an improvised explosive device on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan.

"If you ever met Travis Mills, the guy's got spirit like no other [and] drive like no other," Gary said. "I just felt compelled to do something."

To help with Spirit of a Hero's efforts, POParella's offers a special flavor called Spirit. It's a combination of strawberry, blueberry and vanilla popcorn created to reflect the red, white and blue of the U.S. flag. The proceeds from the flavor go directly to Spirit of a Hero.

Among all of its walk-in, online, and catering customers, the store goes through an average 300 pounds of raw kernels a week, the owners estimate. However, during busier times, such as the Christmas holiday, the end of the school year and even wedding season, that figure can climb as high as 1,000 pounds per week.

As Frisco Square continues to grow and develop, Gary said they hope to see the operation continue to expand.

Gourmet popcorn flavors

POParella's serves a variety of popcorn in flavors including original, season-savory, caramel blends, crazy crunchers and gourmet. Among them are:

• Cheddar Bacon
• Texas Jalapeno
• Zesty Ranch
• Bubble Gum
• Cotton Candy
• Strawberry
• Confetti
• Cinnamon Toast
• POP's Double Chocolate
• Caramel and Cashews
• White Chocolate Oreo
• Lime Cilantro
• Dill Pickle
• Cookie Dough
• Green Apples
• Blueberry

• 8873 Coleman Blvd.
• 214-705-9666
• www.poparellas.com

Hours:

Sun. 2–7 p.m., Mon. 3–8 p.m., Tue.–Thu. 11 a.m.–8 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–9 p.m.