On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, the lobby of 505 Marquette Ave. is permeated with the comforting aroma of “better than movie theater” popcorn and the warm laughter of an Albuquerque man who loves making people’s days better. 

Not everyone who enters the lobby of the building is having their best day. The building houses the Law Offices of the Public Defender, New Mexico Legal Aid, and Pegasus Legal Services for Children, to name a few, but Shaun Hedrick said he tries to make their day a little brighter. 

Making people smile is his favorite part of his job. 

“I know not everybody gets everything at the same time. Some people might be going through a rough spot and need some help to get through that rough spot to the other side,” he said. “No storm lasts forever, but if I can help them through it, that’s better.” 

The popcorn is free for everyone. 

He made it a lifelong career  

Hedrick has been serving up popcorn to Albuquerque residents for 24 years now. He started his job when he was 18. He worked for a while at Bank of the West on San Mateo and learned his greeting skills from an old bellhop. 

“He was 82 and he taught me how to do the greeting, the directory assistance, and stuff,” Hedrick said. 

When he was learning how to be a greeter there was another man whose job was to pass out popcorn to customers. When that man retired, Hedrick knew he wanted the popcorn job and after about a month of going back and forth with his boss about it, he was hired. 

His predecessor told Hedrick he didn’t want to leave the popcorn job to just anybody because it was a duty to serve people in the buildings. He made Hedrick promise not to leave, and Hedrick has kept his word, even through several company buyouts. He currently works for Lotus Management, LLC. 

Hedrick said his dad taught him that keeping one’s word is important. 

“He really taught me a lot about being a gentleman and being kind. I still have my mother too and so they were like my guides in life and so with enough support, I could do anything, but I choose to be where I can make the most impact, which is here,” he said. 

Approaching life with empathy 

His job is more than just jokes and popcorn though. Hedrick said it’s kind of like being a bartender who listens to people’s problems and through the years, he has heard a lot. 

“I had somebody one time ask me for help. They needed somebody to listen because of something they were going through…so we helped them through it, and as far as I know, made it through,” he said. “I didn’t see him again, so hopefully it made an impact. They were on the brink of giving up.” 

One of the things that Hedrick said has made him successful in this position is that he’s learned to approach everything with a sense of empathy, but also to care for himself. 

“That’s easy enough, but to not take on other’s problems as your own is hard. You’ve got to be able to listen and to be able to take time for yourself every day,” he said.

As someone with an Autism spectrum disorder, Hedrick said that if you make a promise to an Autistic person it’s important to keep it because they are looking forward to it. 

“Sometimes they just channeled every effort into that one moment of making it to that promise,” he said. 

But everyone is unique and may not be able to verbalize whether or not they’re going through a difficult time. 

“It’s easier to keep communication open for later or have someone to check in with to know if something happened. It’s easier to correct or help them through it,” he said. 

The importance of self-care 

Learning to balance caring for others and himself has also been a key to his successful career. 

“You’ve got to please others before you please yourself. That’s what a good relationship would be like,” he said. 

When he’s not at work, Hedrick said he likes to meditate and do yoga and acupuncture. 

“I love doing poetry and writing, love photography and kayaking and I also like hiking. I’m a part-time photographer, freelance with landscapes, flowers, and stuff…I also enjoy computer gaming,” he said. 

For him, going down the river in a kayak is its own type of healing. 

“You totally don’t remember anything you were worried about when you’re done with it,” he said.