Mother-daughter snack store cooks up a variety of flavors

By Kelli Weldon

Banana, caramel, loaded baked potato and wasabi ranch are among the flavors snackers can seek at Reel Popcorn on South Congress Avenue.

Owner Sharon Easley and daughter and General Manager Jennifer Easley pop batches daily, host field trips and concoct new products in the store's kitchen.

A Dallas native, Sharon said she is an entrepreneur at heart and has operated four other businesses, including a dance studio. Jennifer moved to Austin in 2007 and said her mom noticed that although there were more than 10 popcorn stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Austin lacked such a presence. The mother-daughter team opened Reel Popcorn in 2008 in Southpark Meadows and moved in 2011 to its current location.

Customers can preorder popcorn online or come into the store to pick it up for themselves or as gifts. The store also puts together favors and popcorn bars for weddings, parties, baby showers and other events.

"We have some really weird stuff," Jennifer said, citing coconut curry flavor as an example. She said the best-selling flavor is dill, and the second best seller is Kill Dill—dill popcorn mixed with salt-and-vinegar popcorn. Seasonal flavors such as pumpkin pie will return to the menu in October, Jennifer said.

"I've always been a very creative person, and [a popcorn store] just felt like it was something that I could add my own touch to," she said. "And Austin is one of the best places to have a creative, unique sense of style."

Reel Popcorn, 8708 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 550, 512-280-7335. www.reelpopcornaustin.com

Hours: Mon.–Wed. 10 a.m.–7 p.m.,Thu.–Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.—6 p.m.