This Leland business is growing, with popcorn, ice cream, fudge and fun

Allison Ballard, Wilmington StarNews
·2 min read
The family-owned Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream store is at 324 Village Road N.E. in Leland, N.C.
The family-owned Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream store is at 324 Village Road N.E. in Leland, N.C.

Three generations opened the Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream family business in June 2022. They started a small storefront where patriarch George Murray had other enterprises in the Leland Town Business Center.

“Within the first three months, we had outgrown it,” said daughter Misty Pelliciotta. “We needed more space.”

Since then, they’ve added an outdoor seating area in the grassy area behind Domino’s Pizza at Village and South Navassa roads. And in November, they expanded to the space next door. There’s more seating, and a place for the fudge that Pelliciotta’s mother, Phyllis Murray, has been making most of her life. Here’s a look at what you can find at the popcorn-and-more store at 324 Village Road N.E. in Leland.

A new expansion of Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream store is at 324 Village Road N.E. in Leland, includes more seating and a Kid's Corner with books and craft supplies.
A new expansion of Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream store is at 324 Village Road N.E. in Leland, includes more seating and a Kid's Corner with books and craft supplies.

New spaces: The expansion adds more than cute cafe tables. There’s a kid’s corner with a chalkboard, chalk, craft supplies and books. “It’s really heartwarming to see the kids just create,” Pelliciotta said. And on the wall, George Murray also has more room to display his pencil drawings that include characters from The Andy Griffith Show.

Popcorn: As the name of the store implies, popcorn is a big part of the business. There are a wide variety of flavors. Caramel is the biggest seller. But Jordan’s Favorite, named after one of Pelliciotta daughters, is a cult favorite. It’s a mix of savory and sweet with caramel, cheddar and Old Bay for a little kick.

The family-owned Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream store is at 324 Village Road N.E. in Leland, N.C. sells a variety of specialty popcorn.
The family-owned Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream store is at 324 Village Road N.E. in Leland, N.C. sells a variety of specialty popcorn.

And ice cream: Here, the family works with Southport-based Chuck’s Homemade Ice Cream for their in-house flavors. Again, one of the favorites is named after another daughter. The Chandler Jane is mix of butterscotch and peanut butter and inspired by the classic Mary Jane candy.

And fudge: These sweet treats are made in house and come in a dozen or so flavors. Pelliciotta recommends another flavor that bears a family member’s name. Mimi’s Chocolate Peanut Butter fudge has been a favorite for decades. It isn’t the layered, two-tone fudge (although they sell that, too). “It’s all mixed together and blended with some other ingredients that make it even better.”

A recent expansion at Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream store at 324 Village Road N.E. in Leland, N.C., includes house-made fudge.
A recent expansion at Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream store at 324 Village Road N.E. in Leland, N.C., includes house-made fudge.

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com. 

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Mimi & Papa's Gourmet Popcorn and Homemade Ice Cream expanding in Leland