Downtown Rochester Welcomes Carroll's Corn Growth

One of downtown Rochester’s most beloved snack spots is popping into a bigger future. Carroll’s Corn, the locally owned gourmet popcorn shop known for its sweet and savory flavors, is undergoing a major expansion, bringing a second location to the heart of Rochester’s subway system.

Owner Seamus Kolb, who took the reins of the business from founder Pat Carroll in 2021, is more than doubling Carroll’s Corn’s downtown footprint. The current 950-square-foot store, nestled beneath the Kahler Hotel, has become too tight for the shop’s booming retail and wholesale operations. The solution? A brand-new, 1,000-square-foot retail spacejust steps away.

The new location—formerly home to Total Image barber shop—sits in a prime pedestrian corridor near Hanny’s and Couture by Hanny’s, directly connected to Mayo Clinic’s walkways. With improved visibility and easier access for foot traffic, Kolb sees it as a way to meet growing demand while staying loyal to downtown.

“This move helps us serve our customers better and grow smarter,” said Kolb. “I’m bullish on the subway and downtown. This is our outlet to the rest of the world.”

Carroll’s Corn currently serves 200–250 customers daily from its existing location and pops 300–400 pounds of kernels each day. Since Kolb’s takeover, the team has grown from five to 13 employees, and the shop now ships its popcorn to 80+ retailers across Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and Kansas—including grocery stores, breweries, and hotels.

The expansion will allow the original shop to focus on popcorn production while the new site will serve as a dedicated retail hub, complete with coolers and snack racks.

For longtime fans and curious newcomers, one thing’s for sure: more space means more popcorn—and that’s something all of Rochester can celebrate.