POPPER (THE)

Rikky Hird and one of the last bags of popcorn from "The Popper." Photo courtesy: Telegraph Herald

Photo courtesy: https://www.facebook.com/groups/45737582684/

POPPER (THE). On October 26, 1973, the era of the "popcorn stand" in Dubuque came to an end. George Hird, acquired the stand in 1965 and built a business catering to secretaries, businessmen, students, and bus patrons. The FISCHER COMPANIES (THE) which owned the land announced the property would be blacktopped for parking.

The parking lot erased the final trace of popcorn stands that dated back to the 1900s. James Browne operated a stand at 8th and Main from the turn of the century for more than twenty years. Ralph "Brownie" Browne, his son, inherited the business from his father and sold popcorn at Ninth and Main, generally under the iron steps of the Burden Building which was replaced by GRAHAM'S STYLE STORE FOR MEN. The stand was such a familiar sight that the DUBUQUE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY wished to store it at the HAM HOUSE and use it every Fourth of July. Unfortunately the stand was taken to the landfill before the Ham House acquired it.

George Hird. Photo courtesy: Telegraph Herald

...enter George Hird and his wife, Rosemary, who operated Hird's Tavern and Snack Shack at the corner of University and O'Hagen, later the location of MCGOVERN'S HARDWARE. The Hirds enjoyed having large bowls of popcorn available at the bar. In 1965 George purchased and converted an old bus that had first opened at 10th and Main as a popcorn stand in 1945. Hird expanded the business with the addition of caramel and popcorn balls. In 1969 he opened Popper II on Kennedy Road. Rikky Hird, a junior at LORAS COLLEGE operated the business when his father became ill, but recognized the problems the business faced and sold Popper II.

The 1968 through 1972 Dubuque City Directory listed 999 Main.

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Source:

Fyten, David, "Downtown Popcorn Era Ends," Telegraph-Herald, October 28, 1973, p. 23