New Shop Satisfies Sweet Tooth for Young and Old

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Published on Friday, 09 November 2012 15:54

Feeling like a kid in a candy store isn't hard in the new St. Laurent Candy and Nut Shop that just opened in the Ave Maria Town Center. Not only is there a large selection of homemade chocolates, fudge, nuts and other treats, but some of the goodies haven't been seen by many adults since they were kids – treats like Mallo Cups and Chuckles, to name just a few.

The centerpiece of the store is the candy display case containing chocolate-covered cherries and nuts, fudge and other temptations too numerous to mention homemade by the St. Laurent Brothers of Bay City Michigan, which has been roasting nuts and making candy since 1904. Tables in the store are stacked with nuts in containers of all sizes along with fudge, popcorn and salt water taffy from another Michigan source, Devon's Mackinac Island Fudge Company. (Above right, store manager Chip Kiesel at the candy counter.)

The store is owned by Tom and Nancy Klopp, who opened the religious statuary shop Conrad Moroder next door almost two years ago and is managed by Chip Kiesel, who said there's been an enthusiastic reception.

"it's particularly fun to see the kids in town discovering the older brands we stock," he said, pointing to a rapidly diminishing case of Blackjack Gum which he said seems to be particularly popular.

The Klopps' idea, Mr. Kiesel said, is also to provide many other services to the town along with items of interest to tourists. "Kind of like an old-fashioned general store," Mr. Klopp said recently.

The shop provides weekly dry cleaning pick-up and delivery, fax services and also provides golf-cart rentals in association with Coastal Carts, a company owned by Ave Maria resident Don Imbus that recently opened a new store in Naples in addition to his main location in Fort Myers.

Plans for other merchandise, such as Ave Maria branded apparel, are also in the works, Mr. Kiesel said.

For those worried about their waistlines, though, it's not going to get any easier in town. The Scoopz ice cream shop is planning to open by the end of November.

Click here for another take: A shop where all memories are sweet, a Naples Daily News column by Ave Herald Editor Patricia Sette