OLCOTT, N.Y. — If you live in a community as small as Olcott, just about everybody knows everyone else.
When Patricia Drewes, the beloved owner of the landmark Bye's Popcorn died on Sunday, so many in this hamlet along Lake Ontario felt like they lost a friend.
“She was a beautiful lady and will always be in my heart,” said neighbor of the stand Juanita Valladares.
“I’m going to miss [her], the whole community will,” said Kirk Starkweather.
“I feel really bad for them and hope that they’re doing okay,” said William O’Flaherty.
While Drewes' loved ones are taking some time to celebrate her life, they made their future plans for the stand very clear Thursday afternoon.
The Olcott icon sharing on Facebook that "BYE’S POPCORN will carry on!!!"
The good news so many families will want to hear.
In the meantime, three wreaths now hang across the front of the stand along Lockport-Olcott Road just above a handwritten note on a flower pot that reads “love you guys.”
Drewes' passing comes as this familiar stand marks one hundred years in business.
It's been serving gourmet popcorn and carmel corn since 1923.
“I was here on the porch… and she came over here with two bags of popcorn and I know I will remember that for the rest of my life,” said Valladares.
“If you’ve had any sort of carmelcorn anywhere else and then you try theirs, its not even close. [Bye’s is better],” O’Flaherty said.
