Meet The Senne Family
We're Anthony and Lisa Senne, proud owners of The Popcorn Stand in Iowa Falls, Iowa! Along with our children, Hayley and Nikolas, we've had the joy of carrying on a beloved hometown tradition that has been bringing smiles to generations of families.
When we purchased The Popcorn Stand in December 2014, we knew we were becoming part of something special. What we didn't realize was just how much this little piece of Iowa Falls history would become part of our own family's story.
What started as a new adventure quickly became a labor of love, filled with laughter, cherished memories, familiar faces, new friendships, and, of course, lots and lots of popcorn!
Over the years, we've added a few of our own special touches while staying true to the traditions and old-fashioned charm that have made The Popcorn Stand a favorite for so many years. To us, it's more than just a business. It's a place where memories are made, stories are shared, and generations come together.
We're incredibly grateful to be the caretakers of this little piece of Iowa Falls history, and we hope to keep the tradition alive for generations to come.
Now, we'd love to share our story and some of the memories we've made along the way!
Keeping an Iowa Falls Tradition Popping Since 2014
Keeping an Iowa Falls Tradition Popping Since 2014
Keeping an Iowa Falls Tradition Popping Since 2014
It all started with a simple question...
"Hey Lisa, do you want to buy a popcorn stand?"
Lisa's answer? "No thanks!"
Well, as they say, never say never!
In December 2014, Anthony and Lisa Senne purchased The Popcorn Stand from Denis and Sharie Bruflodt, becoming the next family to carry on this beloved Iowa Falls tradition.
At the time, their daughter Hayley was 15 and their son Nikolas (Nik) was just 7 years old. Little did they know how much popcorn, hard work, laughter, and family memories were ahead of them.
Twelve years later, here we are... still poppin'!
2015 – Our First Year: Learning the Ropes
Keeping an Iowa Falls Tradition Popping Since 2014
Keeping an Iowa Falls Tradition Popping Since 2014
Our first year was full of excitement, new ideas, and plenty of lessons learned!
We introduced new popcorn flavors, created T-shirts for sale, and even sent Nik to his school Halloween party with popcorn to share.
We also learned some important lessons—like just how much popcorn needs to be popped ahead of time for a big event!
To keep up with demand, we purchased an external popcorn popper. This allowed us to continuously pop white popcorn outside while making caramel corn inside the stand.
One tradition we have proudly continued is the original recipe of white popcorn popped in white coconut oil, just as it was done back in the days of Louis Knudson. While we've introduced plenty of new flavors over the years, we've never forgotten the simple recipe that helped make The Popcorn Stand an Iowa Falls favorite for generations!
That came in especially handy during some of Iowa Falls' biggest celebrations, including Riverbend Rally, our annual Fourth of July celebration with a carnival and fireworks, the yearly Christian concert in the park, and the Scenic City Car Show over Labor Day weekend.
There was definitely a learning curve, but we were getting the hang of it!
2016 – Rain, Snow, or Shine!
Keeping an Iowa Falls Tradition Popping Since 2014
2016 – Rain, Snow, or Shine!
One thing people quickly learned about us? We're open year-round! Iowa weather doesn't stop the popcorn from popping.
Wednesdays started becoming our regular day to open, especially with the Farmers Market in the park and Lawn Chair Nights during June.
Hayley joined in working at the stand, making it even more of a family affair.
We continued experimenting with new flavors and took another big step by launching our website, ThePopcornStand.com.
2017 – Popcorn, Popcorn & More Popcorn!
This was the year we introduced our now-famous Red, White & Blue popcorn for Riverbend Rally!
We also began filling orders for businesses, parties, and special events.
And one of our more unusual orders? The local movie theater bought popcorn from us when their own popcorn popper broke!
Who would have thought our little stand would be supplying popcorn to the movies?
2018 – A Little Something for Every Occasion
We continued participating in the annual Taste of the Greenbelt, sharing our popcorn with even more people.
We also expanded into gift baskets and holiday ordering, giving customers a fun way to share a little Iowa Falls tradition with friends and family.
And what would Christmas be without Christmas Corn? We introduced our festive red and green Cinnamon & Sweet popcorn, which became a colorful addition to the holiday season.
2019 – Still Poppin'!
Another year of popping, serving our wonderful customers, and keeping the tradition going.
Sometimes it's the everyday moments—seeing familiar faces, visiting with customers, and hearing their popcorn memories—that make this little business so special.
2020 – Well... That Was Quite a Year!
2021 – Making Headlines & Welcoming RAGBRAI
2021 – Making Headlines & Welcoming RAGBRAI
What can we say about 2020? COVID certainly changed things for everyone.
Like so many small businesses, we had to adjust, but we continued opening and serving our community as much as we could.
This was also the year Nik, now 13, really started learning the family business.
From a little boy bringing popcorn to his Halloween party to learning how to operate the stand, he was becoming part of the next generation of popcorn makers!
2021 – Making Headlines & Welcoming RAGBRAI
2021 – Making Headlines & Welcoming RAGBRAI
2021 – Making Headlines & Welcoming RAGBRAI
The Popcorn Stand was featured in the local newspaper during Riverbend Rally!
We also welcomed the excitement of RAGBRAI coming through the area, bringing another big event and plenty of opportunities to share our popcorn with visitors.
There was never a shortage of reasons to keep those poppers running!
2022 – Advertising Our Popcorn on the Road!
2021 – Making Headlines & Welcoming RAGBRAI
2022 – Advertising Our Popcorn on the Road!
By this time, popcorn had become such a big part of our lives that we even got a specialty license plate for our car that simply says "POPCORN!"
We continued serving our local community, supplying popcorn to a local pumpkin patch, and shipping orders all across the United States.
Our little Iowa Falls popcorn was making its way to places like Florida, California, and Washington, just to name a few!
Not bad for a little popcorn stand in the park!