Eston’s Crazy Corn and Eston’s Place gives youth new zest for life

(Eston’s Crazy Corn and Eston’s Place/Facebook)

For Eston, the project has given him a new start.

“What makes me the most happy is connecting with people and talking to people about my business. It makes me proud and excited,” Eston said on Facebook. “I hope that you like my popcorn and if you see me somewhere please say: ‘Hi!’ Thank you again for the awesome support!”

The youth started his popcorn-making enterprise two years ago when he was 12.

Arias said after the pandemic hit, Eston, who has autism, began developing anxiety and fell into a depression.

“So did I. I think everyone did because we were out of work, stuck at home. We didn’t do anything,” she said. “And my good friend Eleanore Sunchild, we were talking one night and she says: ‘I have a popcorn machine, why don’t you make popcorn?’ I was like: ‘Make popcorn? It’s nothing I’ve ever thought of.'”

When Arias introduced the idea to her son, Eston, he came up with the name Eston’s Crazy Corn.

“He got really excited. We started getting everything prepared, and he started coming out of his depression,” she said. “He started coming back to life. So that’s how it started. I stayed up all night making the popcorn,… so he would help with the packaging and getting things ready. It’s slowly built over the past couple of years his business. We got a lot of community support.”

In 2022, the Stone-Arias family purchased the Territorial Drive Driving Range (the 19th Tee Driving Range) at 328 Railway Avenue East. The site also contains a concession stand now used for Eston’s popcorn and snack sales, bringing together the two businesses.

“We thought it would be the perfect combination with Eston’s current business, the Crazy Corn, combined with the driving range,” Arias said. “It’s a place for families to congregate and come together and have fun with their kids, because there are not really those attractions in North Battleford. My son loves it there. He picks up the golf balls; he loves seeing the people. He is so engaged with them. He is very proud of his business.”

She added the operation also helps give Eston some business skills at the same time.

“It’s a really good thing for my son,” Arias said. “It’s built his confidence. He feels good about it, and my son’s mental health is good. It brings us together as a family. We’re teaching him some work skills and we’re building a legacy for him so he will have something that will be his.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW

by Angela Brown

Eston’s Crazy Corn and Eston’s Place gives youth new zest for life

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