When KuKuRuZa opened in 2008, our customers were worried that we would not last long. Yes, we had delicious popcorn, but the economic climate had just taken a turn for the worse, and the general feeling was that selling popcorn was not enough to pay the rent in a down economy.   Downtown Seattle store front sign The successful popcorn shops that have been around for longer than we have survive through tradition, proudly boasting that their flavors haven’t changed in decades. We opened in a time of economic difficulty with ideas that broke the mold of that tradition, with flavors like our Reserv line, including Truffle Fromage Porcini, Pecan Praline, and Bittersweet L’orange. Without a long standing tradition of our own, we had no such reservations about changing and constantly improving our popcorn recipes. The result, we think, is a robust menu of unique and delicious popcorn varieties that has been...

  The little sister to our downtown location, the Ballard store is in the heart of Old Ballard on Market Street. Many of the employees (as well as our management staff) grew up or live in Ballard. It’s the perfect blend of peaceful, residential area (with a Norwegian flair), and young, hip culture.     Petite and pleasant, this store is a nice change from the bustling, tourist-intense pace of our downtown Seattle location. In Ballard, regulars come by in the morning on jogs, dog walks, or to get their morning caffeine at one of the many coffee shops.     We are located in right in the heart of Ballard, so we get to be a part of the many community celebrations like the weekly Farmer’s Market, the annual Norwegian Independence Day festival (Syttende Mai), and the Ballard Seafood Festival.   Since we’re just a stone’s throw from the famous...

        There’s something about the Pike Place neighborhood. From the tourists at Pike Place Market, to the business men heading to work, to the shoppers at Westlake Center, we see every variety of person come through our store in a given day. This area is a hot spot for unique and iconic Seattle businesses like Seattle Coffee Works and Starbucks, Rocky Mountain Chocolates, or the Tea and Crumpet Shop. Everyone makes it down here sooner or later; and we see them all.  We opened for business on November 1, 2008 in a less than certain economic climate. Well that’s not entirely accurate. The economic climate was certainly... poor. Not to worry! If we know one thing for sure, it’s that everyone loves popcorn! Armed with Caramel Corn fueled optimism, we opened our doors to the bustling crowds on 3rd & Pike St.     The first few...