Shirley’s brand was born from that tradition, and named in honor of long-time theatre box office attendant Shirley Torsell. From there, significant groundwork was laid in graphic design, store layout, and (of course!) recipes that would later become hallmarks of one of our area’s most remarkable small business success stories.
The 2012 development and launch of our franchising program remains the biggest step in our growth thus far, focusing the design of our stores, strengthening the brand, and recruiting several key members to our outstanding leadership team. In September 2014 a second corporate store was launched in The Shops at Fallen Timbers, an outdoor destination mall in greater Toledo.
Our main focus moving forward is in controlling and supporting growth, especially after the achievement of milestones including the introduction of Caramel To Die For popcorn, a proprietary, signature flavor that serves as the foundation of many of our products and is available only in Shirley’s stores.
One of the first things we share with new associates during training is that we don’t sell popcorn, we create happiness. It’s the perfect representation of our primary goal as a company - to help customers share joy and delight by using our popcorn a gift, a fundraising opportunity, or an everyday snack.
We’re committed to creating products slowly, in small batches, using the best ingredients available. It’s truly the definition of “gourmet.” And we only sell a core group of 12-15 flavors at a time, including up to two flavors of the month. We believe it is more important to offer a smaller group of excellent flavors than to try to create a hundred flavors with limited appeal.
Our stores are designed to evoke nostalgia for old-fashioned candy counters and soda fountains, and our emphasis on casual, helpful interactions with customers makes it a welcoming, comfortable place for kids, families, and senior citizens alike. All of our products are created locally in each store, in view of our customers – creating excellent opportunities for conversation and relationship building.