The great American poet and biographer, Carl Sandburg, often wrote about growing up on the Illinois prairie and about his hometown of Galesburg, which is the county seat of Knox County. This charming community draws visitors for its rich history, natural beauty, and community events. Whether you are learning about Sandburg’s legacy to seeing “The Great Balloon Race” in the spring, exploring Lake Storey Park, or strolling down the town’s historic Seminary Street, there are many attractions for visitors in Galesburg.

As you browse the storefronts on Seminary Street, you might catch the sweet smell of freshly popped caramel corn wafting in air from JT’s CaramelKorn Station. This gourmet popcorn shop, owned by Jackie Turner, has become a beloved destination for locals and visitors.

“I thought selling popcorn would be a good idea, because people like popcorn,” Jackie said. “My popcorn tastes better than anywhere else, because it’s made the old-fashioned way. It’s made by hand. It’s made with real butter. No preservatives. It’s made in a copper kettle. It’s made by me. And it’s made with my love.”

No surprise. Jackie says that her caramel corn is the star of the show at JT’s CaramelKorn Station. And, we can see why. The crunchy kernels of sweetness are memorable and delicious. She also carries an additional 12 to 15 flavors of popcorn in the store on a daily basis.

“I came up with all these ideas. Just what I thought would taste good with popcorn. It might be lemon. It might be pickle. It might be ranch.”

An idea pops

Jackie’s journey to becoming the owner of JT’s CaramelKorn Station is a story of a deep love for popcorn.

“When I was growing up, the only kind of popcorn we had was buttered popcorn,” Jackie recalled. “We never had any flavors or anything like that.”

For Jackie, popcorn wasn’t just a snack, it was a treat that brought her family together.

“As a kid, we ate a lot of popcorn, because that was our dessert,” added Jackie. “That was the main dessert, because it was inexpensive. We always seemed to eat it on the weekends when we actually got to watch movies on television.”

Before venturing into the world of gourmet popcorn, Jackie had a diverse career in retail.

“Throughout the years, I’ve worked in clothing and in different types of sales,” explained Jackie. “But it’s always been with people.”

Her experience in customer service and retail laid the foundation for JT’s CaramelKorn Station. In fact, Jackie already had experience selling gourmet popcorn, as the co-owner of a caramel corn store at the mall in Galesburg with a friend. However, as mall businesses started to suffer, Jackie and her business partner opted for a tough decision.

“We closed our store back in 2012, because we saw the mall was starting to decline, and we didn’t want to be the last store standing,” said Jackie.

But Jackie’s passion for popcorn never faded, and years later, she jumped at a new opportunity to pursue her popcorn dreams in a new space.

“Fast forward to 2017. I decided to open a caramel corn store downtown in the historic district, because this is where the retail action was happening,” stated Jackie with a wide smile. “I thought popcorn would be a good business, because there’s no one here around here that makes it within a 50-mile radius.”

A business that really pops

JT’s CaramelKorn Station is a passion project for Jackie Turner. While the popcorn shop is a popular stop on Galesburg’s Seminary Street, Jackie said that primary source of income comes from her real estate career.

“The way I pay my bills is not through the store, but from my real estate business,” Jackie explained. “I’m a real estate broker and manager. My full-time job is I’m a real estate agent. I list and I sell homes.”

But Jackie’s heart is truly inside her popcorn shop. When asked about her personal favorites, Jackie didn’t hesitate telling us her top choices are caramel, cheese, and lemon popcorn.

“The best flavor is caramel corn,” Jackie declared before rattling off additional flavors of interest. “We have white cheddar, yellow cheddar. Then we have cinnamon sweet ghost (pepper). We have hot pepper cheddar. We have winter grill. Then we have caramel corn with pecans, cashews, and almonds. Caramel corn with Spanish peanuts. Lemon popcorn is really good.”

But Jackie’s shop isn’t just about popcorn. Customers can also grab a hot dog or nachos for lunch, and brownies or old-fashioned ice cream for dessert. It’s a one-stop shop for comfort food that satisfies every craving, but popcorn is still king of the shop.

“The main rule in my store is when you come in here, you have to try my popcorn,” exclaimed Jackie with enthusiasm in her voice.

“It’s a must. Because it is the best popcorn and because it tastes so good. The caramel corn is made with real butter. The cheddar cheese doesn’t come off on your hands, and we let you mix flavors. We let you fix that box (of popcorn) the way you like to eat it.”

Jackie also relishes in her ability to bring smiles to her customers.
“Sometimes when customers come in here, they change their mood from unhappy to happy,” Jackie shared. “Sometimes they come in, and you can tell they’ve been having a bad day, and by the time I get through talking to them, they’re having a pretty good day.”

Although Jackie does not have an online store, the shop has a reputation for great popcorn that extends well beyond Galesburg. And so, her phone rings regularly with orders from out-of-town customers.

“I ship across the country,” explained Jackie. “Customers can call here. It’s sort of the old-fashioned way. You call. We answer the phone, or call me on my cell. Usually, it’s in and out of the store in about 24 hours and it’s freshly made.”

Running a smart business

Running JT’s CaramelKorn Station has given Jackie firsthand experience with the realities of entrepreneurship, and she has a message for those in power.

“I want the politicians of Illinois to know that they need to pay attention to small business,” Jackie said. “It’s a hard business. It’s not an easy business. Some of the rules for large companies should not be the same for a small business. They have to keep that in mind, and they have to listen.”

Jackie employs a small team who enjoy the work as much as she does.

“The ladies who work for me, they’re retired,” Jackie explained. “They do this just to get out and maybe work one or two days a week. It’s just for something for them to do.”

One issue Jackie feels strongly about is the impact of minimum wage laws on small businesses.

“Minimum wage doesn’t fit everybody,” explained Jackie. “Small businesses aren’t set up to pay employees helping them to pay a mortgage, pay for a car, and put people through college.

“Working at a small business my size can pay a cable bill, or earn a little pocket money.”

Despite the challenges, Jackie’s love for her business keeps her going.

“What I want people to know about owning a retail business is, you have to love what you do. It’s a lot of hard work, and it’s the love of the business. Money is secondary. You have to love what you do.

“This store gives me a purpose,” Jackie said with smile. “This is my passion. It’s just all sweet positive energy here.”