JACKSONVILLE, Fla – Inside the modest, red-painted building just off Harriett’s Bluff Road in Camden County, Georgia, business is hopping. Or should we say popping?
From start to finish, the crew inside “Poppin’ Joe’s Gourmet Kettle Korn” work hard to make fresh kettle corn to sell to the community. But the sweetest sounds are what people have to say about its owner, Joe Steffy.
Steffy has Down syndrome and while he’s a man of few words, his heart and drive say enough. Steffy started popping about 20 years ago and launched his business in Kansas where he lived with his parents. In the last couple years, he moved to Woodbine to live with his sister, Jennifer Stratton, who works alongside him in the shop.
“I think the inspiration that he brings is what impacts people and that’s really cool to see,” Stratton said.
Stratton tells News4JAX that when Steffy was still in school back home, his instructors did not offer a positive outlook for his future. That was a prediction his supportive parents did not get behind. Stratton says during a trip, her father saw a man making kettle corn and got a bright idea.
“When they got back from the trip, he and my mom talked and thought this was something they thought Joe might be able to do,” Stratton said. “So, they got some equipment, and they would go to Walmart and little stores on the weekend and they would pop and test to see how it did.”
It turns out, there was quite the market for the delicious snack. Now that Steffy lives and runs his business in Camden County, the support that was there in Kansas quickly followed him to Georgia.
“The community and how it came around and so many people helping in so many ways,” Stratton said. “It takes a village if you will. "
Matt Jordan owns the property where Steffy’s workshop is in service. Jordan rents space to the business for one dollar a year. When he was approached about the idea, he didn’t hesitate for a second.
“You go back to look at what he’s had to overcome in his life, and I don’t think anything would have held him back,” Jordan said. “Once you meet him and get to understand what he’s trying to do, I don’t think anything would have held him down.”
Steffy’s products can be found throughout town. The products consist of five standard flavors: Kettle corn, caramel, sweet and cheesy, cheddar, and cinnamon. There is also a “flavor of the month.” The product has been sold at festivals and inside local businesses.
It’s even on display at the Courtyard and Residence Inn on Jekyll Island. The hotel’s director of sales, John Tharpe, says the great taste keeps the customers coming back for more. But it isn’t the only thing to bring a smile.
“Seeing him working away all day long to put the bags of popcorn together,” Tharpe said. “It’s rewarding, rewarding for him, an inspiration to others.”
Speaking of inspiring others, Steffy has also had the chance to do some advocacy work in our nation’s capital. Stratton says he’s the first person to use an augmentative device to speak to a small business council in Washington, D.C.
With World Down Syndrome Day this week, Steffy’s supporters have another wish: focus on the ability, not the disability. And strive to overcome.
“Don’t let your limitations stop you from doing things that make you productive,” Tharpe said. “That put you back in society and in contact with others.”
Proving to everyone that no matter what hand they’re dealt in life, with hard work and a community’s rallying spirit, anything is possible. What’s sweeter than that? To learn more about Joe Steffy’s story and to look at products, visit Poppin Joe’s website.
