Kami Harris and Stephany Heckman founded The Mad Popper in 2008.  A relatively unknown concept in the Triangle area, Kami and Stephany introduced sweet and savory flavors of gourmet popcorn to Durham and Chapel Hill. 

Andrea Ginsberg, a former elementary school teacher, spent several years of her childhood in Texas where she remembers several gourmet popcorn stores with dozens of colorful sweet and savory popcorn flavors.  A personalized tin with three different flavors of popcorn was “the” birthday present to give and even better to receive.

Andrea and her family have been fans of The Mad Popper since day one. Her two boys are always excited to visit “the popcorn store” and they know a visit is guaranteed each time their aunt comes to town.

In 2009, Kami and her family left North Carolina and Stephany became the sole owner of the business.  Two years later, after the birth of their daughter, Nora, Stephany and her husband made the decision to move back to Pennsylvania to be closer to family.

The timing was perfect!  Andrea was just starting to explore what the next chapter in her life was going to look like now that both of her boys were in school five days a week.  Late one evening she opened her weekly newsletter from The Mad Popper.  The newsletter ended with the announcement that Stephany was looking for a buyer. 

Within a week, it was decided that Andrea would be the new owner of The Mad Popper!