First State Corn & More to open new Route 1 location May 2
Five years after opening the First State Corn & More food truck in a parking lot on Route 1 behind Chick-fil-A, the husband-and-wife team of James Petion and Kathryn Robsinon is opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant Saturday, May 2, just a couple miles north.
“We’ve always wanted to be in a storefront out on the highway,” said Robinson a few days before the opening.
There have been visions of expansion ever since the couple opened the food truck in 2021. Five years later, they said it’s been a lot of hard work, but worth it.
It feels great to see it coming together, said Petion, who also thanked the local business community and customers for continued support. Business owners helping other business owners is one of the local traditions, he said.
Located in Harbor Square, in the former Grandpa Mac location, the menu for First State Corn & More will feature many of the items the business is known for – corn on the cob, corn bowls, loaded fries, bowls and a variety of sandwiches. There’s also going to be a dessert station, and they’re bringing back wings.
There will be a special grand opening celebration Saturday, May 2, beginning at 11 a.m., said Robinson.
Looking forward, First State Corn’s highway location will be open seven days a week, year-round, said Robinson. This is going to be a family-friendly restaurant, she said.
This is the second expansion for First State Corn. The first came in 2022, when a seasonal location opened near the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk. That walk-up-window-style eatery opened for the season last weekend.
Kaja Asian now open in Midway
As if opening one new restaurant wasn’t enough, Robinson and Petion recently celebrated the opening of another restaurant – Kaja Asian in Midway Shopping Center outside Rehoboth.
It’s been going well, said Robinson. There are always a few kinks to deal with, but so far things are working out, she said.
Petion and Robinson opened Palm Beach Bar and Grill, located near Midway Speedway, in October 2024. They announced in early February they would be closing for a renovation and then reopening as Kaja Asian. This restaurant is a partnership with award-winning chef Bryan Emperor.
Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014. He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres, but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government. He covers environmental stories, business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting, and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.
