The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

A favorite childhood memory led to the opening of the newest venture on Midway Avenue, where the latest iteration of a local business has planted roots.

The Popcorn Shoppe opened earlier this month at a new location, Midway and Main in Grand Coulee to sell gourmet popcorn, candy and more.

Owner Kim Christensen said last week that the shop is step toward fulfilling her vision of a destination shop that will become a tradition that provides good memories like she has of a place from her childhood: Patrick's Salt Water Taffy, in Bodega Bay, California.

"Every time we went there, all of us couldn't wait to go," she recalled.

Christensen grew up in San California, where she met her husband Mike, who grew up here. They married In 1991.

They moved here in 2011 and decided they wanted to do something that would allow them to "give back" to the community, she said.

When her mother died and left her little inheritance, there was an opportunity to combine some goals.

"My mom always wanted to have a taffy shop," Christensen said. "So after she passed away, and with her inheritance, I started Coulee Kettle Corn in hopes that I could eventually have some kind of a store like this."

She and Mike have been selling Coulee Kettle Corn at local events for some time, now, offering their flavored popcorn at fair, rodeos and special events, and more.

Kim said she wants to encourage good behavior in kids, so she's offering a gift certificate to local students of the month, good for $5 off anything in the shop.

With a goal of encouraging recycling and re-use, she's also getting tins in for repeat customers, which would cut down on plastic bag use.

"My goal, long term, is to have a retail store where you can walk in, get all the saltwater taffy ... all the Hawaiian shaved ice, gourmet popcorn," she said. "I want it to be a destination place. When folks say we're going to go to Grand Coulee Dam this summer, I want the kids to say, 'Oh my gosh, I can't wait to go to the Popcorn Shoppe!'"