This article appeared in the August 13th Issue of TV Times
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By David Maull
TV Times

Bill Hall offers a quick response when asked what makes Fisher's carmel popcorn better than other brands being sold along Delaware and Maryland coasts.

"Because it tastes better," he says without hesitation. "It's entirely different, it's entirely better."

The key, Hall noted, is attention to quality. That's why Fisher's has remained a family-run operation for more than 60 years and not jumped at the chance to become a large franchise business.

And with locations in Ocean City, Fenwick Island and Bethany Beach, its product remains as popular as ever.

"We have a reputation," said Hall, who manages the Fenwick and Bethany locations. "We had a line (in Fenwick) all weekend, all the way out to the highway. Carmel popcorn is clearly what makes us famous."

Carmel is made from scratch using a special mixture of brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt. "Other than that, it's just sweat. It's a handmade deal," Hall said.

Once the carmel is finished, it is mixed with air-popped popcorn inside large kettles. The making of the carmel and the mixing procedure must be done correctly or the quality of the product suffers, Hall said.

"This is a difficult thing to do," he noted.

It's a formula that has been followed for three generations.

Hall's wife is Martha Fisher Hall, whose grandfather started the now-famous popcorn business in the late-1930s. It was founded in Ocean City and has been a boardwalk fixture for more than 60 years.

It was there that the carmel recipe and mixing procedure were developed and perfected.

"They deserve all the credit down there for developing the brand name," Hall said.

Twenty years ago, however, demand for Fisher's carmel popcorn increased as Ocean City began growing as a vacation destination.

In 1982, a second location was opened in Fenwick Island at the corner of Routes 1 and 54 in what is now the Viking Theme Park. Four years ago, demand was such that a third store was opened in Bethany Beach.

"There's a lot more popcorn being made than there was 20 years ago," Hall said.

Today, the Fenwick and Bethany locations sell about 60,000 pounds of popcorn a year and a special mixture with peanuts is available at the Bethany store.

The Fenwick store sells most of its popcorn to visitors who want to take large amounts home after their vacations. Fisher's offers half-gallon, gallon and one-and-a-half-gallon plastic containers along with metal cans that hold either a gallon or three and a half gallons. There are also three sizes of single-serving boxes.

The Fenwick and Bethany locations serve the Delaware and North Ocean City markets and make purchasing popcorn more convenient for customers who do not want to make the difficult drive to downtown Ocean City, Hall said.

And after 60 years, the product is still being discovered.

"We do get new customers every day," Hall said.