Epic Gourmet Popcorn celebrated a grand opening Nov. 25 and 26 at its new Schererville location at 248 W. Lincoln Highway next to Edible Arrangements.
Bill Rossi and Dan Earles founded Epic Gourmet Popcorn in 2017 with the goal of community involvement and inclusion, according to their website.
“Popcorn is a much beloved snack by so many, and we thought it would be a fun opportunity to get involved with,” said the owners in an email.
Their hand-crafted popcorn includes more than 60 sweet and savory flavors, including banana, barbecue bacon, dill, birthday cake and margarita.
“We believe in using the most flavorful ingredients, encouraging customization, over-stuffing our popcorn bags and tins, and making sure our menus impress the pickiest of popcorn connoisseurs,” their website says.
They say the best part of making popcorn is experimenting with the different flavors. Earles favorite flavor is dill pickle, and Rossi prefers fab n' fruity.
The company moved to Schererville after their Dyer location's lease expired. They say the Schererville location was move-in ready and offered a better opportunity for walk-in traffic.
They say the biggest challenge to running the business is keeping the store stocked with the right flavors and fulfilling large orders when they come in.
Both owners lived in the Chicago area before coming to Northwest Indiana about 25 years ago. Earles is originally from Detroit and is living in Schererville. Rossi lives in St. John.
Epic Popcorn is a member of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce based in Washington, D.C. The company also offers Corn for a Cause tins that benefit nonprofit organizations.