
The U.S. Small Business Administration is honoring Grant Jones, owner of KuKuRuZa Gourmet Popcorn, as its Washington State 2015 Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Last year, Crosscut's Ronald Holden profiled Jones, who began experimenting with gourmet popcorn in the home kitchen with his wife, Ashley. They opened their first popcorn store in Bellevue in 2009, and 16 locations since then.
Duane Fladland, state director of the Washington SBDC, says, “Grant is a classic entrepreneur because he sees things differently than most people do."