The Minerva Candy Co. in downtown Webb City, Mo., revived a long-dormant candy-cane recipe over the weekend with the help of the former owner.
According to the Joplin Globe:
It’s been years since Minerva manufactured the Christmas treat. The shop had been closed since the mid-2000s until Tom Hamsher and his wife, Mary, purchased it and brought it back to life last year.
Built in 1913 and sold to the Mallos family in 1921, the store had a long line of Mallos owners — first Jim, a Greek immigrant, then son Gene, then son Duke.
It was Duke who held court over the candy kitchen on Saturday, assisted by a former employee, Karen Steele. They directed Tom Hamsher and the new Minerva staff.
The Globe produced this fascinating video about the candy-cane-making process:
Minerva Candy Co.’s Facebook page is here. It’s open each morning Tuesday through Saturday. The candy store is about a block south of where Route 66 goes through downtown.