Shirley’s Gourmet Popcorn Company will open a new franchise location in Goshen, Indiana, in the fall of 2017, co-founder and CEO Pete Suter announced.

The store, located on Main Street in the heart of historic downtown Goshen, will mark the company’s seventh overall location and first in Indiana. It will be locally owned and operated by Goshen native Kate Steury Leaman and husband Jon Leaman.

For Steury Leaman, who is returning home to the Maple City after living with her husband in Harrisonburg, Virginia, it is an opportunity to realize the dream of owning a business while sharing a timeless snack with her hometown.

“I’ve loved popcorn for as long as I can remember. We even had popcorn at our wedding,” Steury Leaman said. “So as we visited the Shirley’s location in Harrisonburg, we realized it was exactly what Goshen needed.”

Suter said that not only was Shirley’s a perfect fit for the city of Goshen, but the Leamans were a strong fit as franchisees.

“Our ideal franchisees are individual owner-operators who are invested in their business on a daily basis,” said Suter, “and we’re delighted by Kate and Jon’s clear enthusiasm both for their hometown and for the Shirley’s brand.”

Steury Leaman said that Shirley’s family-friendly environment and strong emphasis on community involvement were major factors in the couple’s decision to join the brand as owners.

“I’m excited to open a store that kids and adults alike can look forward to visiting,” she said, “and I can’t wait to work with other businesses, organizations, and our customers to make Goshen an even better place to live.”

Suter said the new store is another step in the company’s vision of becoming a household name from coast to coast.

“Each new location demonstrates Shirley’s broad, classic appeal and ability to thrive in many different settings,” said Suter. “We are working hard to welcome even more new owner-operators into our franchising family.”