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New owner paid $2.2 million for former Carbone's building with plans for Mexican restaurant

May 15—ROCHESTER — New life in the form of a Mexican restaurant is on the way to an empty Northwest Rochester building following a recent $2.2 million real estate deal. Restaurateur David Mendoza of Bismarck, North Dakota, purchased the former Carbone's Pizza/Crooked Pint building at 2723 Commerce Drive NW on April 30. Mankato-based CP Property Holdings, which acquired the complex for $1.85 million in 2016, was the seller. Rochester's Core Real Estate Group represented Mendoza with Tyler Cain taking the lead in the deal with support from Chad Behnken. Olmsted County estimated the total market value of the property at $1.78 million for 2025-2026. Mendoza, who has operated restaurants in South Dakota and Colorado, is working with his business partner Chef Rudy Nuñez on a plan to open something new in the Commerce Drive building. "We're bringing Ollin Cocina & Tequila, a modern Mexican restaurant to Rochester with an excellent tequila bar program and great traditional Mexican dishes," said Mendoza. The goal is for Chef Nuñez, who will operate the Rochester restaurant, to open it in September with a team of about 20 employees to staff it. Mendoza explained that they became interested in Rochester, while visiting Mayo Clinic. "It's a great community and the restaurant is in one of the best parts of Rochester, in my opinion. I think that's a beautiful area," he said. "It looks like Rochester is a great place to be with a great economy. It looks like it is going to just continue to grow and grow." The 6,800-square-foot building was originally built by Paul Dzubner, who was once the CEO of Green Mill, to house a Green Mill Restaurant in 2006. Rochester's Green Mill abruptly closed in 2015 on New Year's Day. Dzubner followed up The Green Mill by launching the Crooked Pint Ale House there in April 2015. The Crooked Pint closed during the COVID pandemic in 2020. The Crooked Pint brand returned to Rochester in 2022, when a location opened in the AmericInn by Wyndham hotel at 1625 S. Broadway. Dan Howard and Scott LaMott opened Carbone's Pizzeria in the Commerce Drive Northwest building in early 2022. Carbone's then shut its doors unexpectedly on Memorial Day 2024.