Gourmet Popcorn Opens, Brings 75 Flavors to Haddon Avenue

The numbers finally added up. After three years, three months, countless experiments and 75 flavors, Steven Kreh finally completed his equation on Friday, March 11.

It was the day his new shop, Gourmet Poporn, opened at 802 Haddon Ave. And the borough hasn't been the same since.

The shop has given Collingswood a new flavor—75 of them, to be exact.

"Our flavors of the day are Dill Pickle, and the Chicago Blend—which is a cheddar and caramel blend that we created by melting down a block of real cheddar cheese, and caramel made with 100 percent butter, no vegetable shortening."

And each of Gourmet Popcorn's 75 or so flavors sound just as scrumptious. The only thing more scrumptious? The way they taste. 

Kreh—who lives in Gloucester Township, but opened up shop in Collingswood, where his wife was born and raised—said Gourmet Popcorn has been so well-received by the borough, he already has regulars.

Collingswood Borough Hall employees, like Mary Ellen Ries, have been stopping in more than once a day for a popcorn fix. Borough visitors who've tried the popcorn and gone home to Pennsylvania, only to return days later, claiming that cravings fueled the hour-long drive.

And flavors, which Kreh has displayed on an enormous chalkboard in the shop, bring the art of popping corn to whole new levels. Offered are Pepper Pop, Sour Cream & Chives, Salt & Vinegar, Cheddar Cheese, Nacho Cheese, Ranch, White Cheddar, Spicy Barbecue, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Vanilla, Pina Colada—to even more-obscure flavors like Mint Chocolate, which doesn't seem like it could work on popcorn, but actually works wonders.

And, of course, Gourmet Popcorn offers traditional favorites like Caramel Corn and Kettle Corn.

All Kreh's flavors are made using 100 percent natural ingredients. He even offers selections made specifically for people who are lactose intolerant and diabetic.

The Haddon Avenue store is Kreh's first and only location, and bringing his shop dreams to fruition was a process that took years.

"Three years and three months ago, I started thinking about popcorn and various flavors," said Kreh, who's always possessed a culinary gift. "So I tried making it."

Gourmet Popcorn employee Kyle Saul—who is best friends with Kreh's son, and refuses to take payment until the shop takes off—said he got to taste Kreh's concoction one night at dinner.

"I was over their house for dinner—which I still do even while their son is away at college—and (Kreh) told me he wanted to show me something," said Saul. "He'd made some caramel corn, and wanted me to try it. As soon as I did, I looked at him and said, 'There's no way you made this by yourself, you bought it.' I didn't believe him at first, it was the best popcorn I've ever had.

"Then he told me he wanted to open a shop. I was already sold on the popcorn, so I told him I was in. Anything he needed, I'd help," said Saul.

And today, the two men stand in the retro-inspired storefront, pride radiating every time they tell a customer about the day's special flavors. 

The two do everything on-site—from making the popcorn, to bagging it, to labeling it. 

Bags of popcorn vary in price depending on weight. A 5-ounce bag costs $3, and 10-ounce bags are $4.50.

Baskets upon baskets of bagged popcorn are set up around the shop, and antique popcorn machines displayed in the window. Black-and-white checked flooring only adds to the old-fashioned feel. So when Kreh wanted to order a Coca-Cola refrigerator for the store, he made sure it complemented the retro decor.

"Our soda is imported from Mexico. It's made differently over there, with a 1950s recipe that uses pure sugar cane," said Kreh, pointing to the tall, thin Coca-Cola machine that looks like an antique. 

And besides soda, Gourmet Popcorn makes their own cotton candy fresh, right in the store. If that doesn't satisfy your sweet tooth, pick out a box of candy or an old-fashioned lollipop from one of the candy stands.

Gourmet Popcorn will even create custom bags for special events and parties, like they recently did as a donation for a William P. Tatem Elementary School PTA event. 

"We knew the school's colors were gold and blue, so we mixed blueberry and lemon popcorn and bagged it up," said Kreh of the blue-and-yellow popcorn kernels. "And Tatem's mascot is a tiger, so we printed custom labels with the Tatem Tiger on them."

And Tatem PTA President Mary Johnson was thrilled with the donation when she came to pick up the popcorn Wednesday. 

"Oh, look, you even put the tiger on them!" said Johnson, smiling from the popcorn, to Kreh, to Saul. "These are just great, I love them. And the school colors and our mascot—it was all (Kreh's) suggestion."

The popcorn business, including everything from flavor concoction to packaging, is Kreh's way of putting his passion to use.

"I'm loving it," said Kreh of opening the shop. "I get to do what I love and be creative every day. We hope everybody loves the shop as much as we do."

Gourmet Popcorn is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.