People of Rochester - Treva

Treva, the owner of Christy’s Kettle Corn, named the business after her daughter. Christy’s Kettle Corn has been at the Rochester Public Market for as long as I can remember, and it’s my wife’s favorite.

Treva’s originally from Angelica, in the Southern Tier. She went to college at St. John Fisher in 1993-94, and majored in journalism. Later, she went to nursing school and became a licensed practical nurse. She also “worked for veterinarians for a long time,” she said. She moved to Rochester in 1999 when she was offered a job through a veterinary pharmaceutical company.

When she first started the business, Treva sold kettle corn at a lot of events in Livingston County. The Avon Flea Market was her first home base. “We did that every Sunday, and then I did different events, tried different things. Some worked out; some didn’t.”

Then she took over a kettle corn business that was going out of business in Rochester. “That’s how I got my foot in the door,” she said.

Treva chose the kettle corn business because she loves the product. “I figured if it didn't work out, I’d still be able to make my own at home,” she said, laughing. And she sees herself going the distance with this business. “It’s definitely got a lot of my heart and soul invested in it.”

“We survived the pandemic,” she said. “It was tough not being able to do events with large numbers of people, but luckily we do a lot of farmers’ markets, and they’re considered essential services.”

Her daughter, niece, and husband work for her, and although they don't usually work together, “it’s a family business,” she said. She has multiple stands, so “at any moment, I can have three or four events going on.”

“That’s what we do on Saturday,” she said. “One person works in Fairport; one person works in Greece, and I always work at the Public Market. This is my home base; everybody knows me here. It’s busy and I'm the boss, so I’ve got to be in the busiest place.”

Treva’s business philosophy is “make something good and get repeat customers, keep the price fair, and offer a special treat for families—something affordable that they can look forward to when they come to the market. They can get the kettle corn, and it always tastes the same.”

Thanks, Treva!