CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- What may be the narrowest store in the Chicago area celebrates its 100th birthday starting Tuesday on National Popcorn Day.
"People who have been around for a long time still call it the 'In Between Store,'" said Donna Wakefield, owner of The Little Popcorn Store in downtown Wheaton at 111 ¼ West Front Street.
Wakefield said E. Claire "Popcorn" Brown opened the store in 1921 a couple of doors away from its current location.
"He built it in between two stores. It is only 49 inches wide," she said.
The store is 60-feet long and has a full basement, accessed through a trap door.
The store was basically a gangway that "Popcorn" Brown put a front and back and roof on, and ever since, Wakefield said generations have enjoyed the white, lightly salted popcorn and candy that’s sold there.
The popcorn is made in antique poppers and comes lightly salted with no butter.
"No butter. Actually, if you put butter on it, it shrinks it up to almost nothing," Wakefield said.
The store's "register" remains a 100-year old muffin tin, although, because of the pandemic, the store has graduated to taking credit cards, as well.
Related
Tuesday marks the start of The Little Popcorn Store’s 100th anniversary celebration. The first 100 customers will receive a free small bag of popcorn.