Sweet! It's National Candy Month!
Lollipops, sour straws, gummy bears, chocolate bars, and more! That's right, it's National Candy Month. But instead of sharing about all my favorite candies, and there are many, I want to share with you a little bit of my family's history. You see, my family owns a candy shop!
Since before I was born, my great aunt, and her family, ran a variety shop in our town (or as I like to call it, a candy store). It's been in the family for about 70 years, and before that, the building served as a post office.
The official store name is Ada's Variety Shop, but most locals just call it Ada's. My great aunt Ada, my grandmother's sister on my father's side, spent every single day at the store, except for Sundays. She would see little ones grow into adults who then got married and had children of their own. And I think the best part about working there for her was meeting all the people who come back and say that they grew up coming to the store after school and were now bringing children of their own. And always to our delight and surprise, she remembered everyone.
In my area, I feel like a celebrity when mentioning that I'm related to Ada. I have very fond memories of Sunday mornings at the store with one of my aunts, my uncle, cousins, and sister. We would get to re-stock the candy and clean. Yes, clean. Despite rarely participating in this task at home, we felt important and needed as we swept the floors and washed the glass that protected the candy. We were contributing not only to this place, but to this legacy of “Ada’s.”
When my great aunt passed away in 2008, my uncle inherited the store, and sometimes, I will help out by working at the store for a couple hours. Many locals worried that with her passing the store may not live on, but that shouldn’t have been a concern. The store remains open 7 days a week, including holidays.
It’s not just a store for anyone who knew Ada; it’s a place of comfort. You enjoy some sweet treats and are reminded of your younger days. I look forward to the days when I have children and bring them with me to see this small building that provides comfort and sugary joy. So in honor of National Candy Month, go out and get some of your favorite candy!
