PORT ANGELES, Wash. — In Port Angeles they say "Swain’s has everything," but the most famous thing the store sells is their 25 cent popcorn. It says so right on the bag, and the store even sells T-shirts proclaiming the popcorn here is 'World Famous.' "People love it, so it's always fun to make them happy. I mean where else are you gonna find something this delicious for 25 cents?" said Shawn Price, who has worked at the general store for 31 years and made many thousands of bags of popcorn.
No one remembers when Swain's, which opened in 1957, started selling popcorn. But it is a time honored 25 cent tradition in this town. "It's very popular,” said Price. “We have a lot of people that are just obsessed with the popcorn. It's just a little thing but it means a lot to people. I had a lady who came in and got popcorn she was taking it to her daughter in Hawaii. She said if ‘I don't bring her Swain’s popcorn she's probably gonna make me stay on the plane!’”
The secret to selling 200 bags a day might be in the special kernels they use: "It's called Magic Mushroom popcorn, because it pops up really big like a mushroom,” Price explained.
But our Olympic Peninsula producer Anne Erickson thinks it's something simpler. Swain's popcorn may be world famous, but it tastes just like home.
"Just like the bags and the T-shirt says it's world famous, at least we like to think so, right? So come in, get a bag, or 10, and we'll have it hot and ready for you!” said store manager Don Droz.
KING 5's Evening celebrates the Northwest. Contact us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Email.