our first tasting...

 hi friends...we had our first showing and tasting 

at Meg's school carnival!!

What a great day!  Fall had finally arrived and we were so happy to see everyone's faces....the popcorn is good people!  Sooo good! We gave out samples of caramel, kettle and white cheddar...all three were a big hit!  We also gave away a gift pail with caramel popcorn, a variety of different candy and a vintage bottle of 

coca-cola, plus a 3 flavored popcorn tin!  

It was a really good day :)

We are still under construction at the store.  And the website is a couple weeks away from launching.  Our Halloween goal for the grand opening is being pushed back...but that is ok!  We will be up and running soon.  Probably going to be the first or second week of November.  Need something sweet to take to Thanksgiving dinner?  Our flavor of the month will be Pumpkin Pie Caramel seasoned with sea salt and pumpkin spice!

And one last thing to share...Crave's first photo shoot!

 This was by far the easiest photo shoot ever!  No crying, fighting, biting, or whining!  Popcorn is much easier to photograph than my family... this mama didn't even break a sweat!

happy hump day and stay tuned...

gettin' closer...

Hi there :)
Check out THE WALL!

projector screen image...

  Our artist friend Coy is a genius.  His work is amazing! 

WE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!

 my little corner looks like africa ;-/

 and the poppers finally arrived! whew...what a relief!

and the tins and labels and business cards!  getting so very real!

blakers poppin' corn and caramelizin' :)

So another week gone....the clock is ticking and the count down is on!  Wish I could give you a real date of opening but not quite there yet.  Stay tuned....

THE WALL!

hey future cravers :)

This was a BIG week for Crave!  The existing space we are leasing is about 2500 square feet.  We only need half of that, so the landlord is dividing the space with a demising wall.  

before the wall...

the frame 

sheet rock!

Didn't think a wall could be so exciting did ya?  Ok you probably aren't quite as giddy as we are ;-)  We couldn't even wait for the tape and bed...had to try our faux brick technique to see if we liked it.   Oh I like it! A lot! 

So many things are coming together, but we have a long long way to go in a very short time.  Our goal for opening is still the end of October.  Blake has been having a ball in the kitchen toying with different palate pleasing concoctions!  The menu is almost complete with 25 to 30 different favors.  What are some of your favorites? Tell us...what are you craving?? 

coming soon...

Hi there popcorn lovers :)

It has been a very slow frustrating process...but we ARE getting there!  We actually had all the right people under the same roof yesterday.  Architect, Project Manager,  our GC, Landlord's GC, Property Manager, Property Manager's assistant, and my favorite person there...my brother-in-law Jason.  I'm not sure how we would make all this happen without him.  So we are finally all on the same page and moving forward!  

Here are some before pics before we actually begin construction...

we are taking the space on the corner

and here is what the signage will look like once it is up...hopefully :)

this one will actually be on the west side of the

 building facing Weir's.

and this one on the south side....the one that will hopefully 

grab your attention while driving north on Preston Road :)

Blake and I are anxious and excited and can't wait to get open.  We are still aiming to open sometime in October, even if it is the 31st.  Which might be just perfect...come get your treats (not tricks) for all of your Halloween festivities! 

We will let you know when you can crave it. love it. give it....very soon!

 

Crave it. Love it. Give it...

Hi there friends and family :)  

Welcome to our little place on the internet where you can follow a new beginning for our family.  Many of you have heard that Blake and I are starting a business of our own...it has been a dream of our's since we graduated from college.  
After 15 years of experience working at Landmark Nurseries (our not so small family business), we are ready to take the plunge going out on our own!  

Blake's love of cooking and my love for creating beautiful gifts has led us to opening a gourmet popcorn and gift shop.  After looking at several franchise opportunities, we decided we could start our own concept.  We want to build something from the ground up, much like my dad did...allowing us the freedom to control and create a business for our family.  Our hope is this little business can be passed onto our kids, nieces and nephews.  We really feel like this is a great opportunity!  So here it is...

Our little shop will carry custom gift baskets, popcorn tins, bulk and packaged candies, and vintage sodas in bottles. As we finish the negotiation phase of signing a lease at Lakeside Market in Plano, plans are being drawn for the shop.  We can hardly wait for the construction to begin.  Soon we hope!  The biggest anchor in the shopping center is Weir's Furniture....oh goodness, that may get me into a heap of trouble :)  But there are some really great eateries, salon/wellness centers and of course retail shopping as well.  Opening date is planned for October 1st...so stay tuned.  Excited is an understatement...nervous is an even bigger understatement.  But we are sure that the Man upstairs has some big plans for us.  So thank you for joining us in our exciting new journey. 

We hope you will crave it...love it...give it!

Ps.  Our website designer is working on the blog design.  It will get better :)