<p>Randy Dennis is confident that Friday’s popcorn challenge at the Lost Roo, between Dennis Company and Bob’s Sporting Goods in Longview, will prove once and for all that the machine at his store in Raymond makes the best popcorn in Southwest Washington. It’s all being done in fun, with one serous note — the losing store will donate $250 to a non-profit of the winner’s choice. The public is invited to come and cheer on their favorite store at noon.</p><p></p>

    LONG BEACH At Dennis Company in Long Beach last Thursday, Randy Dennis leaned back in a lawn chair near the cash registers and explained what all the friendly fuss is about.

    It stems from a fun-filled feud with another family owed store, Bobs Sporting Goods in Longview. Both that store and Raymonds Dennis Company have older popcorn machines and as friends on Facebook, the competitive kernel question was bound to come up one of these days. And it did.

    Randy explained, It started about three weeks ago.

    Bob Schlecht, Jr. posted that his stores machine makes the worlds best popcorn. Randy said, Not!

     He answered that he thinks Dennis Company has the best popcorn in southwest Washington

    Laughing, Randy said last week that it went back and forth for a while and then Kelly from Beachdog, who helps us with Facebook said, Lets turn it into a challenge.

    And a challenge it became and We all just took off with it, Randy said, smiling.

    Randy said the public is invited to come watch the judging at no charge. Dennis Company will be giving away branded store merchandise. Its all being done in fun, but with one serious note whichever store loses has to donate $250 to the winners favorite non-profit organization.  In the event that Bobs Sporting Goods wins, Dennis Company will donate to Cowlitz County CASA. But Randy doesnt plan on losing, which would mean that Bobs will donate to the Boys & Girls Club of the Long Beach Peninsula.

    Of course, the decision on whose popcorn is the best will be made by what Randy calls, An impartial panel of judges. They are: Michael Lalewicz, from The Depot; Mike Littawa from The Breakers; Andi Day, Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau Director; Brady Turner, The Adrift; Jan Grambo, Lighthouse Ocean Front Resort and Betsy Millard of Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum.

    Families representing the two stores will be there. Randy, Brent and Gary Dennis will be on hand to face off with three generations of Schlechts, Matt, Bob Jr. and Bob Sr. It will be fun to sit down with them and just get together and have a good day, Randy said. The two families go way back.

    Randy explained, Dennis Company and Bobs have been business friends for a long, long time. We belong to the same buying group. Its called Worldwide Distributors, Inc. (WDI). He joined in 1954 and we joined in 1963. The two stores carry many similar items and combined, have over 175 years of retail history. They approach their business practices in much the same way, but what will be different this Friday is how they make, transport and have judged their stores popcorn.

    Randys entry will be made at the Raymond store and somehow, kept warm on the trip to the Lost Roo. Bobs will pop the kernels in Longview and transport the finished product to Long Beach. Bob told Randy, I have a secret, super way to get it there warm. After all, cold popcorn isnt likely to taste very good to the judges.

    There seems to be a lot of secrets to making the best popcorn. Randy swears that the coconut oil used in his stores Manley model 102 popcorn machine, manufactured in the mid-1960s, has a leg up on the competition. He said that Bobs once had  a Manley machine but it caved to the torments of time. Now, they have another popcorn maker. Its a Pop-O-Lot, manufactured by Gold Medal, Randy said.

    With another huge smile, Randy commented, These are the two machines that will be going against each other. Then, in sort of an under-the-cuff lower voice, he slowly added, Personally, I think with the Manley Im going to kick his butt.