This page created by Kirk Fulton with the purpose of informing W&J students and faculty about one of Washington's most popular small restaurants, Popcorn Willy.  An interview with W&J student and Popcorn Willy employee Mattew Bortnick was also conducted to further help people get a feel for Popcorn Willy.

What's Popcorn Willy?

Popcorn Willy is a small family owned restaurant located in the city of Washington.  So what's with the name?  The original
business was founded by street vendor Bill "Willy" Wolfe in 1991, and instead of serving the usual French fries to complement entrees, Willy decided that freshly popped popcorn should be the go-to side.  Willy's original idea proved to be a winning combination as the one original vending cart has evolved into a successful restaurant.

People

Owners

Popcorn Willy is now owned by a husband and wife team, Mark and Sherry. Both realize repeat customers are the key to success for small family owned business. Mark certainly keeps that in mind. Popcorn Willy offers delivery to people and businesses within walking distance of the restaurant, with Mark doing all the walking.

Customers

People are ultimately responsible for the continued success of Popcorn Willy. An interesting niche Popcorn Willy attracts are lottery players, mostly senior citizens. Many make a daily routine of ordering their favorite soup and playing their favorite lottery games. 

Popcorn!

The first thing that catches customers' eyes when they first walk into the restaurant is the entire wall dedicated to a dizzying array of popcorn flavors.  The flavors fall into three broad categories: Savory Flavors, Candied Flavors, and Chocolate Drizzled.

Savory Flavors include both the basic and exotic such as...

*Buttery
*Bacon & Cheese
*Pepper Pop

Candied Flavors include...
*Caramel
*Apple Pie
*Mixed Fruit

Chocolate Drizzled flavors include...
*English Toffee
*Cookie Lover
*Peanut Butter

Meals and Sides

If you think popcorn is Popcorn Willy's only item on the menu, you're in for a surprise. Patrons are introduced to the wide variety of entrees, sides and daily specials via a chalkboard hanging over the counter. The line, and there usually is one, leads customers past a salad bar consisting of fresh greens, chicken, and other vegetables. Instead of charging for pre-made salads like at Meal-ex, you can assemble your own salad, putting as much or little of a certain food on it, and then being charged by the weight of the salad (it's 35 cents an ounce). You can also order one of their delicious homemade soups such as Wedding, Willy's Chili, or the Soup du Jour. Entree favorites include...

Specialty Sandwiches

*Italian Stallion-their twist on the classic Italian hoagie
*BLT-made with their famous spicy bacon
*Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich-a healthy choice, especially when served with popcorn

Club Sandwiches

Combine your favorite meat such as chicken or lunch meats with classic toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, peppered bacon, cheese, and mayo.

Burgers

Enjoy a beef or turkey burger plain or topped with cheese, bacon, or mushrooms.

Store Hours

Being a family-owned restaurant,Popcorn Willy's store hours correspond to a regular working day. The store is open:

*8AM-4PM Monday thru Wednesday

*8AM-5PM on Thursday

*8AM-5:30PM on Fridays

The store is closed on weekends.

Popcorn Willy Home Page

First Person Interview with College Employee Matt Bortnick

     I've really liked working at Popcorn Willy. I'm from Cleveland, you know, and  every other place I've worked at is just worried about how much money they make. Mark and Sherry really go out of their way to talk to people and make sure they like their food, you know.
     Different people come at different times of the day. I usually work the 10-3 shift so I get the chance to see many different kinds of people. The lotto players always come in right before the lunch crowd. They play their favorite numbers or ask me to pick them a winner from the scratch-offs. The lunch crowd comes in next and this is where we get our main food orders, you know. Near the end of my shift, when we stop serving food, people usually come in to buy bags of popcorn or Sherry's freshly baked goods.
     I definitely enjoyed my time at Popcorn Willy.

Location

Popcorn Willy is only a five minute walk from campus. It is located at 20 North Main Street.