Corney Family

Who knew that someday our connection to The Humphrey Popcorn Company in Cleveland would lead us to locally grown and milled corn for our Bourbon????

Tom's Aunt Betsy and Uncle Dud Humphrey were the owners of the Humphrey Popcorn Company for many years until just recently when they sold the business.  The Humphrey Company holds a very important place in the hearts of Clevelanders past and present. Uncle Dud's family has been farming and making popcorn in the greater Cleveland area since the 1800's! And they were instrumental in an important Cleveland landmark, Euclid Beach Park.

Dud's ancestors came to the area in the 1800's initially for logging and bought property on Wakeman. The land was foreclosed on in the 1890's, bringing the Humphrey's to Cleveland. When their invention of a newfangled popcorn popping machine didn't pan out as hoped, their focus shifted a bit and, not long after, the family hit the retail side and opened up their own popcorn stand on Public Square.  They also manned a popcorn stand at Euclid Beach Park.  Euclid Beach Park wasn't doing all that well and Humphrey correctly noted that the owners were trying to cater to EVERYONE (from gamblers, to drinkers to families).  This, in effect, caused the park to cater to NO ONE.   In 1901 Uncle Dud's Grandfather oversaw the buyout and ultimate revival of Euclid Beach Park as a true family-fun theme park that had a successful run until its closure in 1969. 

Humphrey popcorn was always family-grown, and is still grown on the same land the family originally owned! Pete Hazel and his wife are the third generation of Humphrey farmers to grow corn at the farm since the family bought the original Humphrey land back in the 1920's  It is an incredible story of family and history all tied to the local Cleveland scene. 

And now, enter Tom's Foolery!  Yet another family connection that we hope will carry a (different) form of this amazing Cleveland Tradition forward in to the future.....a new way to eat Humphrey Farms corn.....drink it!