When LeBarron Burton took over Popcorn World, he wasn’t just building a business — he was building a legacy in Gary. In a city where Black-owned businesses face challenges, Popcorn World has emerged as a beacon of hope.
What started as a small shop has flourished under Burton’s leadership into a hometown favorite, drawing national attention and offering over 250 unique popcorn flavors. From weathering a pandemic to rebuilding after a break-in, Popcorn World’s resilience and innovation have kept it thriving in Gary.
Since opening in 2019 near County Market on West 25th Avenue and Grant Street, Popcorn World has become a fixture for locals and visitors alike. However, this fall, that resilience was put to the test when the shop was vandalized. Although only the tip jar was taken, the incident rattled the team. The community’s response, however, was immediate and powerful, with neighbors rallying around the shop and messages of support pouring in on social media.
“I’ve been doing this since 2012 or so, and this is the first instance that I’ve had an issue,” Burton said. “Let us be clear: This incident is not a reflection of the great city of Gary or its people. It was the isolated act of one disturbed individual,” a Popcorn World post stated days after the break-in. “The true spirit of Gary is shown in the actions of community members … who stepped up to protect their own.”
To Burton, the outpouring of support reminded him of why he’s stayed in Gary. “You’ll hear a lot of people say black-owned businesses don’t get support from their own communities. And that’s not true, as you’ll never be championed by anyone else but your own,” he said.
Popcorn World success
It was during the pandemic that the shop took off.
With everyone inside and business dying, Burton had the idea to send out packages for social media influencers and comedians to try the flavors they had. Comedian Tahir Moore decided to taste and mention his experience on his YouTube livestream and Facebook.
From there, they took off. According to Burton, orders were placed every three minutes for 24 hours after the video was posted.
“We did $80,000 in the first day,” he stated. “Then we began to do something about $30,000 a day for a little while.”
But like a machine running on fumes, he and his team realized that wasn’t conducive for the business, which led him to want to rebrand (again) and scale up to do best by customers.
Origins of Popcorn World
When LeBarron Burton “married into Gary” over two decades ago, he did not think he’d be in the popcorn industry.
“I accidentally came into Popcorn World,” he joked.
The shop’s predecessor, Popcorn Haven, was started by his friends Deon and DeRon Ragland. Around 2008, the brothers asked him to help build their website. Facing financial uncertainties himself, Burton agreed, and with his help, the shop’s online presence quickly grew. By 2012, they hit their first $1 million in sales with several licensed locations, and soon after, the brothers invited him to join the team full time. It was around 2015 that significant changes started happening for the company.
In 2015, Burton recognized a need for a stronger brand identity. Food Network Magazine had featured Popcorn Haven’s Italian Sausage flavor in its “Top 25 Popcorn Flavors,” but with 26 licensed locations operating under different names, their products weren’t clearly identified as part of the same company. This spurred a full rebrand, and Popcorn World was born, complete with new packaging, a unified logo, and an ambitious expansion plan.
As part of the rebrand, they expanded to high-traffic locations like the Venetian and Fashion Show Mall in Las Vegas. But to their surprise, it was their more modest locations that drew the most customers, reinforcing Burton’s vision for an accessible, community-focused brand.
“That doesn’t fit our brand,” Burton said about trying to be an open brand to all. “Our brand is more relaxed and more comfortable.”
In the initial stages, it wasn’t the communities where the stores were, but keeping consistent customers, especially after the launch. Then, he got the desire to put a store in Gary.
In 2018, the Raglands wanted to leave the business, offering Burton ownership if he took on the brand, locations, debts, and other behind-the-scenes responsibilities. At first, his goal was to rebuild the brand, make money, and pay his way out of the business.
But soon, it became a mission.
“I learned that one of the things with Black-owned businesses is not that we don’t do good business or that we’re more expensive than everyone else,” he said. “I found out that there’s a supply chain issue, and in most industries, the supply chain is driven by several of the same companies.”
Burton has since focused on scaling Popcorn World to improve this supply chain, overcoming challenges to secure essential resources like oil and cheese and ensuring his brand’s growth continues on his terms.
Why popcorn?
Burton knew he would put his best foot forward, even if he accidentally fell into this industry.
“I’m not going to do popcorn and be normal,” he joked. “We’re going to have to be better than everyone else.”
This sentiment is felt by everyone who works in the shop.
John Nelson, Burton’s unofficial right-hand man, has been with the team since 2021. In his role, he can do anything from making one of the 250 flavors to dealing with customers and fulfilling orders to defending why the brand is better than other popular brands, including Garrett, a Chicago staple.
“I’m here to back his play,” Nelson said. “I’m not here to mess up; I’m here to set up and help him get to the next stage that he needs to get to.”
He, like most employees, is trained to do everything in the store to create a well-rounded staff. Like sports, he stated, they try to bring people in to cover all business bases.
When you can’t reach Burton, you call Nelson. And either way, they say, the job will get done because they believe in being a team.
Moving forward
After the break-in and a few other events this year, the shop is open and taking time to catch up on orders and bring back many flavors. Burton is taking this opportunity to rediscover his love of the business world.
“I want to be the first Black billionaire in the top 10% of billionaires,” he proclaimed. “I want to be able to put back into the community to the level that affects it and change what’s wrong with the business world.”
He’s been able to do this by fundraising for schools, feeding sports teams throughout the city, and running his Woodland Child Development Center with his wife, Nina, the nonprofit’s executive director. When he’s not in the office at either location, he’s running his IT business or attending events for his five children, who also help with the company.
Here in Gary, Burton hopes to show the next generation they can be as successful if they put their mind and passion into something.
“That’s my reasoning for being in the city of Gary and wanting to grow in the city because there are children and people that look at the Burton family and what we’re doing and realize that they can do the same thing,” he said.
