Review Visit: October 9th, 2017…read more I feel that popcorn needs no introduction or an in-depth analysis. If you've ever gone to the movies or watched one at home, you've probably put down a few hundred, if not thousands of kernels, many pounds of butter, and a few licks of salt. Now, if you've never been to a place that specializes in popcorn, you are in for a world of flavors you never thought existed. Puppy Chow? Yep. Jalapeno Cheddar? Yup. Thin Mint? Like the Girl Scout's Cookies? Yes! There are almost an endless amount of flavors available at the Great American Popcorn Company. I've been to many places and have seen many flavors of popcorn but today I saw new flavors. Moving on from popcorn, they also have a ton of sodas from companies you've never heard of and they also have plenty of fudge, chocolates and other sweets that'll cure any sweet tooth. The lady behind the counter offered samples of any product they have on display, which is impressive since they have 56,389 items to choose from. During my quick visit there, I sampled some Jalapeno Cheddar popcorn and fell in love. I grabbed a medium-sized bag for about $6. Depending on the flavor, the price can go up for down. I also grabbed some Cookie Dough ice cream and enjoyed that outside where they have some chairs and tables to enjoy your treats. I'm not sure what else to say about this place that isn't pure praise, which might be too sweet for you readers. Ha! Luckily if you don't live anywhere near Morton, IL, there seems to be a smattering of these companies out there. Some other locations include: Galena, IL / Grand Rapids, IA.

Every kind of popcorn imaginable Lots to choose from and…read morestaff is friendly and helpful

Delicious! So many options and such a fun place! Loved the option of team tins of different sizes!read more

Such a fun place! So many popcorn flavors and specialty candy to choose from. I got Puppy Chow,…read moreWhite Cheddar, and Extra Cheesy Cheese. A little on the pricey side but worth it for the flavor!

Review Visit: September 17th, 2014…read more Pop. Pop. Get your popcorn here! Popcorn is like a burger sandwich or pizza. You can get your basic form of the food but the sky is the limit on the various ways to prepare it. Pizzas, sandwiches and popcorn are one of the many foods that comes in a million different flavors and combinations. Maybe not everyone loves popcorn (do these people even exist?) but places like Holland's Caramelcorn can offer popcorn lovers a seemingly endless variety to pick from. Having been through the Washington Square a few times, I noticed there were some cool and interesting shops to check out. So, I planned a day to explore the town's square and see what the local community has to offer. Upon finding a parking spot and entering the store, I knew I liked the place. It had this welcoming feeling to it and the person behind the counter was super friendly. The store was wide open and kept the merchandise against the walls. This allowed my friend and I an easy way to browse their wares. If you came here expecting to get much beyond the popcorn and soda, you will be disappointed. This store specializes in the popcorn and random sodas you've never heard of before. Luckily, there is a shop next door called Holland's Mercantile. But that's for another blog post. While we wandered the store, I managed to accumulate a handful of popcorn and sodas to take home with me to enjoy at my leisure. I don't remember how much everything cost but I wasn't worried about spending a few extra bucks to support local businesses. I will be honest, I may not have waited to get home before sampling some of the goods. The soda was a root beer variety and was bubbly and good. The popcorn, which the flavor escapes me, was good, tasted fresh, and had a bit of that grandma's love put in to it. Overall, it was a nice stop to pick up some goodies and to support a local business. If you happen to need some need for gourmet popcorn and odd ball sodas, you can't go wrong at Holland's. I believe they even do bulk orders for businesses. Remember, try to support those local businesses around you if at all possible.

Great old fashion shop, however they only pop once a week per the owner and the prices are higher…read morethan other small midwestern popcorn shops.

A cute little place, but the best part is the woman who works here. She was so nice and fun to talk…read moreto! We ended up buying the Carmel corn and it was so good-you could taste the butter in the recipe. And the turtles were to die for! Excellent little shop-I hope it does well!

Absolutely, the best Carmel corn I have tasted! The owner, Jackie, is a delight to visit with when…read moreyou visit her store! If you live or are driving through Galesburg, do not miss JT's CarmelKorn Station!

My son & husband had shakes, I had a two scoop sundae. The flavors were the Fat Elvis & Kitty Kitty…read moreBang Bang it was so yummy! They were pretty busy but everyone was taken care of quickly. And the two ladies working there was a great team, both assisted each to complete the orders

This store is amazing. Usually, candy in bins is a little stale, but it was so soft and fresh I…read morecouldn't believe it. We also bought the amazing rice krispy treats (dairy free)- one covered in jelly beans and one covered in nerds. Again, the jelly beans were so soft & fresh. The rice krispy treat was so gooey and delicious- I ate pieces at a time because it was so big. This store was a delightful find on a weekday when not much was open. My daughter with allergies was very happy to find some safe options. Will definitely be back next time I'm in town.

Popcorn Charlie knows the key to your heart. We got some popcorn from here and it was amazing the…read moreservice is great aswell! My ambiance was joy :) Highly recommend

Best popcorn around. There are so many varieties to choose from. Don't leave without a bag of fresh…read morepopped buttered popcorn. Charlie is so friendly and the staff are very helpful. The candy makes great stocking stuffers. Charlie's is a must stop whenever we make it to Davenport. It is located on the street I grew up on and is a quaint little shop.

The owner was incredibly friendly and the variety of popcorn is insane. I got the variety mix and…read morewas better than what I ate as a kid. I leavs tomorrow to go home to Jersey bit hope they have online somewhere. Make sure you get out to support thus small business who pride themselves on a quality product.

From the owner: You don't need to search far and wide to find a yummy snack in the Moline, IL area. Just come to…read moreG's Gourmet Popcorn for our delicious popcorn for sale.

Review Visit: September 17th, 2014…read more Sugar. Spice. Everything nice. Like in a lot of smaller towns, you'll usually have or find a business that deals in candy. Sugary confections. Sweet treats. Candy from yesteryears. Soda (pop) in more varieties than you care for it to come in. Things you think you'd never see again and things you fall in love with. Holland's Mercantile fills that role for Washington, IL. My friend Matt and I decided to spend an afternoon exploring the Washington Square to see what the town and it's folk offered. The words on the front of the store's glass got me excited at the possibilities held inside. As we opened the door and headed in, the excitement increased tenfold. It was like being a kid in a candy store. Except that we are adults... in a candy store. Upon entering, I first noticed the long row of candy in the glass containers where you can scoop out as much as you want. Lining the walls were a million different candy from a million different times and cultures. I saw things I hadn't seen in years. They had stuff I didn't think existed in time where color TV is the norm. On top of the candy, they also had a display case full of baked goods. Whether these are made in-house or from a local bakery, I am not sure. Either way, the stuff looked fantastic behind the glass. Turtles. Truffles. Caramel Bars. It all looked so good that I think my blood sugar level elevated just looking at the offerings. This store has more than just candy, baked goodies, and sweets from everyone's childhood. They also had the novelty toys from the same time period the candy/sweets come from. There were novelty toys that tied in to current day trends but they also had toys that kids from our time would enjoy just as much as kids from the time from which they came. I also think there was a back room that was full of a combination of everything the store offered. On this day, I let my inner child run wild and I picked up a small sack full of candy. I didn't want to get too much because I don't have the best self-control when it comes to my sweet tooth. Next door is another Holland's store that offers up popcorn in many different flavors and even more soda to pick from. This store did remind me of the candy store from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, minus the Candy Man tossing candy to and fro. Though that would've been quite the sight to see. The store just has this feeling of being a great place to get your sweet tooth fix while reliving items from your childhood and also your parent's childhood. I will end this with a warning. If you have kids and bring them here... expect to drop a lot of money on sweets and toys. It's easy to spend a small fortune in a place like this. Also, don't let your kids see Holland's Caramelcorn next door. They might get loaded up on sugar and then get popcorn cheese everywhere. How sweet it is.

The best variety of popcorn indulgence is waiting for you at Hollands. It is hands down better…read morethan Garrett's! I make trips to central Illinois, and this is one of my must do stops!