Picture a panoramic rainbow of nostalgic treats: saltwater taffy, flavoured popcorn, milkshakes and cherry-topped soda floats. Is this heaven? No, it’s Pop Lab Popcorn – a new candy utopia and small-batch gourmet popcorn shop that’s just sprung up in Fairfield like a daisy.
Texan-raised owner Kate Anderson-Firth fell in love with popcorn the moment she first caught a whiff of its golden, buttery, salt-dusted glory as a child.
“I walked past this store and would stare into the windows,” she says. “Just the smell of fresh popcorn was enough to make you smile. On a really special day I’d be allowed to get a big bag of my favourite popcorn – the idea of picking out your own treat was everything a kid dreamed of. I ended up convincing them to let me work there. The thing you notice selling great candy, shakes and popcorn, is that nobody ever left with a frown.”
And smile you no doubt will when you step into Anderson-Firth’s wonderland. The popcorn is cooked fresh in-store daily and there’s a flavour to suit every taste, from cotton candy and sour blue raspberry to dill pickle, bacon, mac and cheese, and jalapeño popper.
Opt for the delightfully chewy caramel nut flavour, sticky with pecans, macadamias and cashews or try the plant-based caramel popcorn if you’re vegan. It’s a smorgasbord for lovers of sugar, spice and all things nice and you’re bound to encounter something new – but there’s plenty more to try beyond just popcorn.
The Wonka-esque new store is also serving up colour-changing candy, an extensive range of saltwater taffy flavours, soda floats and classic milkshakes made from syrups that have been flown straight from the States. Get yours to go or slip into the retro (and very Insta-worthy) Soda Bar to enjoy it.
“Pop Lab Popcorn is everything I’ve missed about back home,” says Anderson-Firth. “I’ve just been looking for the right place to share that feeling, and I found it here in Fairfield. Everyone is going to leave smiling. Now I’m in the business of happiness.”