Bryan Baker was a building maintenance worker for Ashland Theological Seminary for twenty-eight years before he was in a life-threatening accident, which not only put him in the hospital for an extended period of time, but cost him his job as well. His son, Brandon, said he always spoke of opening a restaurant, and he encouraged him to put his words into action. Located at 530 College Avenue, it took them thirteen months to transform the former coffee shop into a carnival themed restaurant. Carnival Corner officially opened on Dec. 2, 2015. They serve everything from giant tenderloin burgers and fries to elephant ears and deep fried Oreos. He said he wanted to do something different, and he certainly accomplished that. Everything from the seating and décor to the food they serve is different, yet analogous to Bryan’s unique personality. “Nothing about me is normal,” he states with confidence.
When I arrived at the tiny restaurant, I walked in to see crazy stripes painted on the wall, picnic tables, and bus seats mounted to the floor. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was pleased to find, however, that my burger was fresh, the fries were perfectly crisp, and the funnel cake was probably the best one I’ve ever eaten. Better yet, it was free FRY-day, so I got the fries for no charge at all, and everything else under five dollars each.
Though opening a new bistro was a great idea, recent studies reveal that about sixty percent of restaurants fail. It’s tough opening a restaurant, and this is no exception. Bryan and his family have worked hard put together their restaurant business. According to Baker, it has been a struggle financially, and they are currently looking for investors. Being right next to a college campus, it is surprising that they have not had more college students. Perhaps it is the small size of the restaurant that allows it to be passed up without notice, but I would encourage all AU college students to come check it out.
Carnival Corner provides a large selection of fair food for a reasonable price that you can enjoy all year around. While Ashland University provides excellent dining services, it’s always good to change things up and to try something new. So come support Bryan’s new family business and enjoy some delicious carnival food!
