Updated April 6, 2023
Note – Since publishing this story in July of 2022 I am happy to report that the Popcornerie has opened a second location, helping to breathe new life into the food court at the Gulf View Square Mall in Port Richey. Another lift for local, family businesses.
July 2022
BY MICHELE MILLER
What’s What New Port Richey
“The way that our shop is set is like an old Brooklyn Soda Shop. It has that nostalgic feel.”
Carmen Milagros-Torres
For those getting on in years, stepping onto the black and white tiled floor at the Popcornerie is like taking a step back in time to when a bright spot of a well-spent youth was sidling up to the soda fountain counter at the neighborhood drug store to order something sweet.
The red, white, and powder-blue decor throws off a fun, retro feel complete with soda fountain tables, an old-fashioned Coca-Cola vending machine and popcorn popper, and Chuck Berry tunes wafting overhead. Hanging on the wall is an array of celebrity photos from days gone by – Marilyn Monroe, Marlo Thomas, Muhammad Ali sitting in a booth looking to down a spoonful of ice cream.
The new neighborhood joint even has a house band – the J.R. Farley Trio – that sets up on the fourth Sunday of the month to play old Frank Sinatra tunes and the like.
Open since March 20, 2022, and located on the north side of the Regency Square strip mall on Little Road, the Popcornerie features all things popcorn and then some. There are plenty of flavors to choose from, starting with the signature caramel-flavored popcorn.
That’s the cornerstone and what launched this family business. It was sometime in 2015 when Carmen Milagros-Torres, a single mother of three, started dipping into her Puerto Rican roots to tweak a family recipe her grandparents brought with them to western New York during the Puerto Rican Migration.
“I was looking for something that would set me apart,” said Carmen.
She settled on dulce de leche, a milk-based caramel that can be eaten out of a bowl with a spoon, served as a dessert topping, or simply popped in the mouth as a caramel chew.
She began experimenting with popcorn and adding different ingredients – drizzled chocolates, pecans, almonds and walnuts.
“Now we have everything under the sun,” she said.
On the counter and behind the glass are a variety of sweet and savory popcorn concoctions – bags of birthday cake, garlic parmesan, buffalo red cheddar, and seasonal popcorn offerings like milk and cookies – a Christmas specialty she’s already taking orders for.
You can pick up a mini popcorn cake. Order a popcorn-enhanced ice cream sundae. Purchase a popcorn cake pop or cookie for later. Other options include an old-fashioned root beer float, egg cream or a simple cone of Blue Bell ice cream.
While the brick-and-mortar business shop is fairly new to the neighborhood, it has been a while in the making.
Before opening the Popcornerie, the business was more of a side hustle for Carmen who started out sharing her new product with family and clients of the local CPA firm she worked at.
In 2016 her job was ending. Being a single parent she needed to continue working so she focused on moving the popcorn business forward, selling popcorn at local events, online and in a few downtown shops.
” I knew that at my age I wasn’t going to get a job that would pay me enough,” she said
The business got a boost when Carmen was named one of 15 semifinalists out of a pool of over 2,000 entries in a Home Shopping Network contest highlighting Hispanic entrepreneurs.
Photo courtesy of Carmen Milagros-Torres
The Home Shopping Network was ready to take orders, Carmen said. “I didn’t have commercial equipment for mass production and I was not ready for that big leap.”
She decided to take a breather.
Then, after the death of her mother in early 2021, Carmen began to reassess her future options.
After a family meeting with her children, Damien, Julian, and Paloma, the decision was made to go for it.
“They all chimed in,” Carmen said, noting that her sons both have their own jobs now. “They 100% believe in the product. They loved the concept from day one.”
PHOTO | MICHELE MILLER
So much so that all of the kids, who are each 10 years apart in age, helped with the design and build-out of the Popcornerie. Paloma, who is a student in the International Baccalaureate program at Gulf High, can often be found working alongside her mom behind the counter, donned in their signature white uniform and red headbands.
Business has been pretty good. These days the shop pops up anywhere from 10 to 15 gallons a day depending on orders.
Serving it with a taste of days gone by and an old-time neighborhood feel is an intentional lure to bring in the foot traffic – whether it be for the regulars stopping by to catch the flavor of the day or kids coming in after school. Being that The Popcornerie is the only popcorn shop in Pasco County, some make the trek from Wesley Chapel, Largo and Clearwater.
“The way that our shop is set is like an old Brooklyn Soda Shop. It has that nostalgic feel,” said Carmen, who researched rental options along major roads like SR54, SR54, and downtown New Port Richey before realizing the best spot was practically in her backyard.
“This is our neighborhood. We chose the location we are in because we notice there was a problem in this area – that there were no places for families to go. There are six or seven public and private schools right around here. This is a perfect place for kids to come after school or on the weekend. They can come here to do their homework and buy themselves a treat.”
Word is getting out, Carmen said, noting that there are some busier than usual nights when families stream in to celebrate after dance recitals and youth sporting events.
The Popcornerie has also collaborated on arts and crafts night with Krafts by Kathleen of downtown New Port Richey. They brought in the house band as a monthly pick-me-up and are looking to offer game nights and movie nights as well as fundraising nights where a portion of proceeds would benefit local schools, the scouts, and other local organizations.
“The gathering component is so important. Customers come in, young and old. They laugh, they chit-chat. The kids are dancing to Chuck Berry,” Carmen said. “It’s working the way we envisioned it would go.”
If you go..
The Popcornerie is located at 9205 Little Road, New Port Richey and there is a second location at the Gulf View Square Mall on U.S. Highway 19 in Port Richey. Telephone: (727) 378-3054. Check them out on Facebook and Instagram. The J.R. Farley Trio plays from 2-4 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month.
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