Little Shop on the Prairie Path

This is a cute little shop in downtown Villa Park and we noticed it because of their cute sign on the sidewalk that advertised «gourmet popcorn». The young woman working was friendly and quirky and was helpful. She let us sample the popcorn from jars behind the counter, which was fun. They had about eight different flavors. She said they make the popcorn there in the shop in the popcorn machines. They seem to make very small batches at a time. I really liked the flavor of the chocolate popcorn, but there were tons of unpopped kernels mixed in that made me worry about cracking a tooth; that really bugged me. The popcorn kernels were really small and it didn’t taste very fresh. I like that they have a popcorn stirrer where they can fully mix the flavors– I got a mix of chocolate and caramel popcorn to take home. My husband got the jalapeño cheddar and thought it was great. The prices are very and surprisingly affordable. They had souvenirs like candles (that were kind of dusty) and candy you could buy. They had a freezer that had ice cream treats. They had cute tables and chairs but no one else was in the store. It seemed puzzling to me how they can make it with limited options but we wish them well!

This is a brand spankin’ new shop right off the Prairie Path, so it’s a pretty convenient location for those traveling the path and in need of some coffee, snacks, or refreshments. I’ve passed by this place a couple times so I decided to give it a shot when I was desperate for coffee. Like stick an IV of coffee in my arm, Lorelai Gilmore style.
No one was there when I walked in around noon. I’m guessing not many people know it’s here. I only noticed it because of the window paint saying «COFFEE,» and because I’m always driving down Villa. Having seen at least two signs saying there was coffee, I assumed it was a coffee shop. Well, not really. They do have coffee, but their selection isn’t enough to be considered a coffee shop. They have five different kinds of coffee: light roast, dark roast, hazelnut, french vanilla, and one other one I can’t remember. That’s it. And it’s hot coffee too, so probably not a good option on a hot day. I went with the french vanilla. The guy, who looked like he just got out of high school, got my coffee right out of a carafe, so don’t expect anyone to be brewing right in front of you. My small coffee was $ 3.30, which is kind of a lot. Actually, I’ll be fair and say I don’t remember if I got a small or a medium, but if it was a medium, it was awful small for one. It definitely wasn’t more than 12 ounces.
Off to the side is cream, sugar, and other coffee essentials. I felt a little weird when I was topping off my coffee because the two young guys that were working were just watching me. Not in a creepy way, but kind of in a «we have nothing else to do» way. Don’t get me wrong. They were both very polite and attentive, making sure I had everything I needed, but it’s just awkward when you and the two employees are the only two people in a small space.
Besides seeing «coffee» written on the windows, I also saw «candy» and «ice cream.» Well, the candy is just convenience store candy: M&Ms, Snickers, etc. They also have mini bags of chips of Lays, Doritos, etc. I was expecting specialty candy, but alas, there is none. There is a lot of seating, with cute little wooden tables and chairs and a checkers set on each table. I’m guessing it would be a nice hangout for the older crowd. They also have some interesting, possibly local, artwork in the corner.
I think because it is a business on Villa with a good location on the street, I was expecting something more. All it really is is a nice 7 – 11, which serves it’s purpose being on the Prairie Path. If you’re on the path, it’s a decent stop, but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it. They’re new though, so we’ll see how they develop.