In 1934, a young entrepreneur by the name of John Baldwin opened a tiny confectionery in downtown Decatur, Illinois. Mr. Baldwin was a type-printer by trade and ran his printing business in the basement of the same building occupied by his confectionery. He called his store “The Popcorn Shop,” for his main product was popcorn: a simple delicacy for a city recovering from the Great Depression. The Popcorn Shop was successful from the very day it opened due to its delicious products that were made daily from scratch. The tempting aromas drifted through the doors and out into the streets, luring customers inside the shop. Many Decatur residents still fondly recall buying popcorn from Del’s to take to the movies in the old Li
