Creative Kernels to sell gourmet popcorn in Yorkville

• Reprints

Updated: September 29, 2011 12:42AM

Kim McGuire is popping up some excitement with the news that she is moving her gourmet popcorn business to 131 E. Hydraulic St. at Bicentennial Riverfront Park in Yorkville.

In early June, McGuire will take Creative Kernels, the popcorn business that she started out of her Plano home, and give it a face. It’s been an Internet business since last fall, when after being laid off twice, McGuire’s son inspired her to start making popcorn.

The popcorn was good enough to sell, according to McGuire’s friends and family. Soon her husband, Jeff, built a commercial kitchen onto the house and www.creativekernels.com went live.

McGuire now sells 22 different flavors of gourmet popcorn in bags, tins, crates and baskets, including Phil’s Famous, named after her son. She has shipped her popcorn to more than 30 states and sells it at local events.

“We’ve been out in the public a lot. There’s a huge demand,” she said. She is now thrilled to work with other new businesses such as Geneva Kayak and Whitewater Custard to serve patrons of what she calls the “beautiful” whitewater park.

McGuire is pairing her popcorn with bottles of soda courtesy Read Soda Midwest, which supplies novelty and nostalgic sodas in real glass bottles.

Creative Kernels will be open almost year-round, from 11 a.m. to dusk, seven days a week. Call Creative Kernels at 815-570-2101.

Comings

Nora’s Shoe Shop is stepping on up to Geneva. The high fashion ladies shoe shop in Oak Park opened a new store earlier this month at 12 N. Second St. in downtown Geneva.

The upscale shoe shop features stylish footwear straight out of the fashion magazines. Opened-toe heels, summer sandals and sassy slings are all on display at Nora’s. The store also has a nice selection of hosiery, handbags and accessories.

A ribbon cutting is planned for Thursday. Visit Nora’s Shoe Shop online at www.norasshoeshop.com or call 630-262-9200. The store is closed Mondays.

Anniversaries

Geneva Hearing Services is celebrating five years of audiological care. An anniversary celebration open house will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday at Geneva Hearing Services, 637 W. State St. in Geneva. Contact them at 630-232-9153.

Spotted

Photography and visual design are taking over where Cricket Wireless left off at 201 W. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. The historic corner building on the northwest corner of Galena Boulevard and Lake Street now displays signs for Leo Productions, a photography studio, and Betance Graphics, a professional design studio.

Find out more about Betance Graphics and the graphic design services offered at www.betancegraphics.com or call 630-608-3594.

Submit items to “Comings and Goings” at ourbiznews@gmail.com or 630-978-8763.