12/06/2025
It is with mixed emotions that I write this post today. Today marks the closing of Popalott, a business that has been my life’s work for over a decade. Coincidentally, it’s also my birthday, a bittersweet moment as I reflect on the journey that brought us here.
Popalott was my legacy. I built it from the ground up with love, creativity, and relentless effort. Its closure is more than the end of a business, it is the symbolic loss of everything I spent over a decade building in Mexico.
I want to be honest, until the very last moment, I held out hope. Hope that those involved would do the right thing, correct what they had done, and allow Popalott to survive. I believed, or at least tried to believe, that we could salvage what we had built and restore even a part of the dream. That hope is what kept me silent far longer than I should have been. But in the end, no one stepped up. And their silence made the closure inevitable.
Thirteen years ago, I introduced gourmet popcorn to Mexico, inspired by a desire to share something unique and joyful with this beautiful community. It has been an incredible privilege to serve you, and I am deeply grateful for the loyalty and support you have shown over the years.
In March 2024, I left Mexico after 13 years of living undocumented, a fact very few people knew, as I was instructed by my wife, a lawyer and Diputado Federal Suplente, to keep it hidden. What I later discovered after leaving, was that I had every right to permanent residency from the day I arrived in Mexico—being married to a Mexican citizen and father to two Mexican children.
My departure came at a time when I desperately needed medical treatment for stage 4 cancer, as due to my lack of status i had no healthcare in mexico or support from my wife. This is a battle I continue to fight every day. Not long after leaving, I discovered that my wife of 23 years and certain investors attempted to shift all liabilities of the business onto me—a doubly vulnerable individual with no resources, no legal status, and no means to defend myself.
And with that, I have nothing left to lose. That’s why I can now speak freely. The silence was never about complicity, it was about survival. But now, with the threat of jail, deportation, homelessness, and retaliation finally behind me, I will no longer protect those who exploited my trust and destroyed what I created. The truth deserves its voice.
Alejandra, with great heart, made valiant efforts to keep Popalott running in my absence. But in the end, the business was abandoned by others when I refused to comply with actions I believed were unethical and illegal. Without meaningful support, closure became inevitable.
Due to the nature of what occurred and the influence of some of those involved, I’ve taken steps to protect myself and preserve the record. I have documented and preserved evidence, and I will be pursuing legal remedies through the proper channels. While I can’t speak further at this time, I remain committed to seeing justice served.
Despite these challenges, I remain proud of what we accomplished together. Popalott was more than just a business—it was a dream realized and a testament to the power of community. I hope that someone else will carry the torch and continue to bring the joy of gourmet popcorn to Mexico.
To our loyal customers: thank you for your unwavering support throughout the years. Your kindness and enthusiasm made this journey worthwhile. While this chapter is coming to an end, I hold dear the memories and connections we created together.
With heartfelt appreciation,
—Sr. Pop
