BELMONT, N.C. — There's a place in Belmont built for National Popcorn Day.
Tastebuds Popcorn has over 200 flavors of popcorn they have been crafting since they opened in 2011.
"On our shelf, we are limited to about 90 [flavors], but we rotate all the time cause we are limited on space," owner Jay Pithwa said.
The flavors range across chocolate, candy, caramel, cheese, and savory. With so many different flavors, they have categories to help you find what fits your taste buds.
"I can only take credit for the first 180 but the rest of our team, including my other half, helped create everything else that we have on our shelf," Pithwa said.
Pithwa decided to come up with a unique flavor inspired by WCNC Charlotte's Larry Sprinkle, who visited for National Popcorn Day. The flavor, called “Elvis," is a blend of banana, peanut butter, and graham cracker crust.
The flavors are meant to "emulate the sandwiches he use to like back in the day," Pithwa said.
He said his love for popcorn comes from his love for movies.
“I am a huge movie buff, popcorn and movies go hand and hand," Pithwa said. "I was just bored with having the variety have only two choices."
The entire operation started in his garage over ten years ago.
“Tinkering around, I came up with several flavors," Pithwa said. "A couple years later, I came up with some more, more, and more. Then it just blew up ever since.”
Tastebuds Popcorn has done so well over the past years that they have opened another location in Concord just minutes from the Charlotte Motor Speedway. That location received the New Business Award from the regional chamber of commerce in Cabarrus County
You can learn more about the different flavors and locations on their website.