Jim Rispoli bought Carmel Corn Cottage from Jim and Marie Pope's grandson in 1997. The Popes were in the carnival/amusement business in Paris, IL., bought the building in 1978 when they moved to Brown County. They wanted a location where they could continue to make their popcorn and caramel apples. They opened the shop with just a few items: a Dunbar & Co. popcorn machine, scale, popcorn sign and Slush Puppie machine. The only popcorn they made was the original caramel and cheese.
Jim bought the shop with all of the equipment, and today he still makes popcorn daily with the original Dunbar machine, a rotary dry air popcorn machine that does not use oil, leaving no after taste on the popcorn. He still uses the original scale and serves signature Slush Puppies in a variety of flavors. Over the years he has added new flavors each year. However, he has noticed that the more flavors he adds, the smaller his shop becomes.
One of the charms of his shop is the size and how many products he can fit inside. He serves everything from popcorn to candies to caramel apples and drinks. Even the signs on his wall are for sale. This is a must stop and see when visiting Brown County, samples are always free.
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