Cupid Candies Closes Sunday After 64 Years On 95th Street
The iconic Cupid Candies store in Oak Lawn, a landmark on Chicago’s Southern Side, will shut after 64 wonderful years on Sunday, Sept. 27.
By Lorraine Swanson , Patch Staff
OAK LAWN, IL — Say it ain’t therefore! Cupid Candies will shut after 64 years on 95th Street in Oak Lawn. One of many final associated with the iconic old-line candy shops from the Southern Side, Cupid Candies, 4709 95th St., will shut its doorways on Sunday.
Cupid Candies had been started in 1936 because of the Paul that is late Stefanos. Their bro, Leo, would carry on to invent the Dove bar. The store that is first at 79th Street and Ashland Avenue in the Southern Side, where just fudge, toffee and popcorn had been offered. By 1940, Paul along with his spouse, Pauline, launched another shop at 3207 W. 63rd St., along side a little manufacturer, in line with the organization’s internet site.
Your family proceeded to grow Cupid Candies, transferring 1943 to 3143 W. St that is 63rd Chicago.
The organization expanded once more in 1956 by having a plant that is new 7637 S. Western Ave., where in actuality the candy factory nevertheless runs today.
The operated and family-owned Cupid Candies produced quality chocolates, pea pea nuts, sweets and ice cream from the factory on Western Avenue in Gresham. The founder that is late son, John Stefanos, is the business president.
Visiting the Oak Lawn shop on Thursday afternoon, the shelves were still well stocked with the hand-dipped, classic candy lines, such as for example Turks — sharp pecans and soft caramel groups dipped in milk chocolate — so called as the title Turtles was already trademarked, and cream and butter fudge made daily. It had been scarcely the “everything must get” liquidation scavenging we have grown used to.
Each with its own distinctive swirl on the top under glass were rows of chocolate creams of all varieties, chewy centers, nut clusters and confections. In the ice cream parlor, a member of staff ended up being starting containers of big, red strawberries.
Since 1956, the Oak Lawn Cupid Candies — using its antique frozen dessert parlor and soda water fountain — ended up being in which you stopped by to choose a box up of Turks to create to your North Side family members on Christmas time, or enjoyed a sundae and a malted after a film during the Coral Theatre.
The Orland Park shop, at 9420 W. 143rd St., will stay available, because will the candies that are cupid on Western Avenue when you look at the Southern Side Gresham community.
Stephanie Hart, the dog owner and discovered of Brown Sugar Bakery in Chicago, bought out of the historic candy that is 84-year-old on Western Avenue in June. Her Brown glucose bakery is a popular destination for Black meals culture into the town.
Hearing that John Stefanos ended up being searching for a customer, Hart bought the Cupid sweets factory for $500,000, employing a grant she received through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, BlackBusiness com reported.
Hart also acquired the legal rights to Cupid Candies’ brand and items. Plans are to mix the 2 brands together.
In accordance with BlackBusiness com, the 20-plus workers for the candy company will remain on to make most of the ice cream and chocolate services and products of Cupid sweets and cakes of Brown glucose Bakery.
But not because cool as relaxing all over soft drink water water fountain on a hot summer time afternoon, fans will nevertheless be in a position to buy a common Cupid Candies online. The Cupid sweets tradition will stay using their initial key family members recipes, designed to use just the best, premium ingredients.
If you wish to have sundae for supper or pick up that xmas package of Turks, Cupid Candies is going to be open from noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 25 to Sept. 27.
MODIFICATION: the organization reached out to Patch to allow us understand that the Orland Park shop at 9420 W. St that is 143rd stay available. Nice thing about it.