By Amanda Crohan (Final project for Spring 2013)
What does the city of Chicago have that the southwest suburbs don’t? A popcorn shop…until now.
Married couple, Tom and Karen Crohan wasn’t completely happy with the jobs they have or frustrated with finding a job in her field, they have always wanted to open up their own business. After tossing around ideas for a couple of years, it clicked. They wanted to open a gourmet popcorn business.
Tom has been a marketing manager for KFC and currently Taco Bell for almost three decades, but as the idea of retirement comes closer, he wanted to leave his career in the QSR, Inc. franchise, when the time came, knowing there was life after retirement.
After ten years of moving from state to state and changing her career positions multiple times, Karen wanted a stable job to help support her family if she couldn’t be in probation any longer.
After months of planning and struggles, Butter-Up opened for business on February 9, 2013. The shop sells gourmet popcorn that is freshly made every day, cotton candy, gourmet nuts that can only be found here and at Navy Pier, candy, and gift baskets that can be made to order.
The gift baskets are made by Karen, as she puts a special touch on the baskets that the customers specifically ask for. She will purchase small items that can be put in the baskets for a personal touch. You want to send a gift basket or tin full of popcorn to your grandson that lives in Florida? It can be done. The baskets and tins will be sent off by the shop and the popcorn will still have its fresh flavor when it arrives.
Butter-Up is a popcorn lover’s dream. There are flavors that range a wide variety of tastes. Flavors include the traditional butter, kettle, and cheese, caramel, Butter-Up’s Chicago Mix, jalapeno, buffalo breath, white cheddar, cinnamon bun, garlic parmesan, white and milk chocolate drizzle over caramel. The owners even take suggestions to flavors customers might want and suggestions to improve their popcorn.
The shop provides a warm and welcoming environment that keeps customers coming in.
But what makes the shop unique is that it is family run. Karen runs the shop by herself throughout the week, while Tom comes in on the weekends to provide a helping hand, and their youngest son, Ryan runs their social media sites. It’s a family process with help from Tom and Karen’s three kids, future daughter-in-law, and future son-in-law, when they’re each available.
The business has been successful so far through its two months being open, but it’s also had its ups and down moments. But new customers are still flooding in after recommendations from family and friends. Most importantly, the owners don’t want to be compared to Garrett’s popcorn as Butter-Up has a homey feel with lots of love and their own special recipes.
