06/10/2026
With the addition of the popcorn stand to Soumas Court for the summer, it feels only right to share the extraordinary people behind Perry's history and our love of popcorn.
Some people become part of a town's story. Others become part of its heart.
For nearly half a century, if you found yourself at the corner of 2nd and Willis in Perry, chances are you knew Celeste Council. Known affectionately as the "Popcorn Lady," Celeste was far more than the woman behind the popcorn stand. She was a familiar face, a trusted friend, and a beloved neighbor whose kindness touched generations of Perry residents.
Born in Perry on August 17, 1882, to one of the area's early settler families, Celeste grew up alongside the community she would one day become famous for serving. In 1923, she married Vernon Council, and not long afterward, she began what would become a nearly half century tradition on the corner of 2nd and Willis.
For just five cents, a person could buy a bag of fresh popcorn from Celeste's stand. But what people really came for was Celeste herself.
Day after day, year after year, she stood at her corner greeting children by name, catching up with neighbors, and sharing stories with anyone who stopped by. On hot summer afternoons and chilly fall evenings, her stand became a gathering place, a familiar stop woven into the rhythm of life in Perry.
As the years passed, generations grew up with Celeste's popcorn. Parents who once spent their nickels at her stand returned with children of their own. Through changing times, she remained a constant presence: a warm smile, a friendly conversation, and a fresh bag of popcorn waiting at the corner.
For 49 years, Celeste was a fixture of Perry life, quietly creating connections and memories that would outlast her. When she passed away in 1969 at the age of 86, she left behind more than a popcorn stand. She left behind a legacy of friendship, kindness, and community.
