The Old-School Mall Food Court Favorite You'll Now Only Find In One State

Although they have fallen off in recent years, it seems that the shopping mall might be making a comeback. That said, Gen Z will likely never understand the excitement and social importance of the mall in its heyday. For hangout purposes, the food court was often the place to be. Within its domain were a mix of good and bad food court options, but Karmelkorn was always on the side of good, it seemed. Unfortunately, along with Kenny Rogers Roasters and China Coast, Karmelkorn is one of the mall food court mainstays that disappeared (almost). If you were there, just reading the name "Karmelkorn" is sure to elicit the memory of its sweet-and-salty smell wafting into the rafters. Shiny floors, distressed denim, generously pleated pants, loud teen screams, the distant chirp of a smoke detector in need of a battery change, and the smell of hot, buttery, caramelized popcorn were the sensory experiences of mall life in the '80s and '90s.

To the uninitiated, Karmelkorn is just what it sounds like: popcorn covered in a sweet, crispy coating of caramel with a salty, chewy popcorn center. While the brick-and-mortar locations went the way of the Original Cookie Company and the steady stream of vanishing pizza chains, Karmelkorn is still available for pickup (and online order) in Norfolk, Nebraska. The location of the pickup spot may come as a surprise — a photo shop.

Karmelkorn was created by Bill O'Sullian in Casper, Wyoming, in 1929. The name was trademarked a year later. Before the rise of mall culture, Karmelkorn was available in city storefronts. By 1982, there were 270 food court locations in 43 states, and the flavors went beyond butter and caramel.

Dairy Queen bought the Karmelkorn brand in 1986 and began to combine Karmelkorn locations with its Orange Julius and regular Dairy Queen properties. With the decline of malls, Karmelkorn began to falter, and by 2019, there were only six Karmelkorn locations remaining.

At its pinnacle, Karmelkorn was a pretty viable business. Local newspapers would regularly run ads looking for new franchisees when a mall was opening nearby. In a 1991 article in Utah's Deseret News titled "20 Years of Booming, Popping Business," a Karmelkorn co-franchisee said he and his partner entered the business for a little extra income and to give their children part-time work. The article paints a picture of Karmelkorn at its old-school best, saying, "In the past few years, the duo has added nacho cheese, sour cream and onion, cinnamon, butter rum, and cheese and bacon-flavored popcorn. Large metal or plastic containers filled with the flavored popcorn are the latest craze at Karmelkorn."

The single remaining Karmelkorn in Nebraska (rebranded as Karmelcorn) does business through online orders and supplies to other retailers. The order pickup location is at Michael's Photography in Norfolk. Customers can retrieve their gourmet Karmelcorn in person during the shop's business hours. If you can't make it all the way to Michael's Photography, Karmelcorn Online promises freshness and direct shipping, with "all products popped and packed to order."