Broad Ripple popcorn shop nears unveiling of $1.5M headquarters

The owners of a gourmet popcorn shop in Broad Ripple are getting closer to finishing their new $1.5 million headquarters and expect to open in late October with expanded offerings for noshing.

Sisters Carly Swift and Mandy Selke started Just Pop In in 2003 from just 500 square feet of leased space at 6302 N. Guilford Ave., where the store still operates. About six years later, they bought an old home at 6406 Cornell Ave. and converted it into the shop’s shipping operations.

Plans to take the 1,200-square-foot house and embark on a complete remodel and expansion to combine the retail and shipping operations began formulating in 2015. When finished next month, the building on Cornell will boast about 5,000 square feet.

A popcorn bar, as well as a beer and wine bar, will be available, along with small plates such as veggie platters and soups, Carly Swift said. A wraparound porch and fireplace will be exterior highlights.

“We definitely don’t want to be a restaurant, but we want to provide good eats for people coming in to nosh on,” she said.

The larger production facility in the rear of the building should enable Just Pop In to grow its distribution business and meet the call to provide popcorn to more specialty grocers.

Swift declined to predict by how much Just Pop In might be able to increase revenue through the new operations. But she said efficiencies will increase by having the retail store, production facility and office at the same location.

Among the shop’s more popular products are mini bags of popcorn that companies use as marketing tools or that brides buy for wedding favors. Just Pop In also sells other pre-packaged items that are more eclectic in taste, such as chocolate-covered popcorns.

Just Pop In long has been known for bringing a sophisticated spin to the popcorn business.

For example, the company has partnered with local brewer Sun King Brewing Co. to produce two popcorn flavors. The sisters blend Sun King’s Osiris Pale Ale with a dark chocolate, and also use Sun King’s malt from its Sunlight Cream Ale to make a Bavarian cheese and ale pretzel flavor.

Just Pop In also teams with Smoking Goose Meatery to create a Smoking Goose Caramel Bacon + Cheddar flavor.

The new shop and production area on Cornell Avenue is just off the Monon Trail and across the street from Martha Hoover’s Public Greens restaurant.

Broad Ripple firm Demerly Architects is the designer for the project.