GRAVETTE -- Thoughts turn to food at this time of year; but any time is a good time to indulge one's sweet tooth and Julene Keller, owner of Keller's Candies on Main Street in Gravette, is willing and able to satisfy that desire.
Julene held an open house at her shop Saturday to celebrate her opening for retail sales. The business has been open for about a year at 121 Main Street, S.E., but Keller has been concentrating on wholesale customers. She will now be open to retail customers each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Julene's grandparents, William Jennings Bryan Keller and Virgie (Seifert) Keller, operated a candy business in Ohio, and her father Bill helped his parents in their restaurant and candy business as a young man.
Julene has a scrapbook behind the counter of the shop showing pictures of her grandparents and their business. And she is proud to be carrying on the family tradition with her own recipes and several which have been handed down to her from her ancestors.
Despite the disagreeable weather Saturday, a number of customers dropped by Keller's Candies to sample the shop's old-fashioned handmade candies. Offerings on the store shelves include caramels, fudges, pecan snappers and peanut brittle. Fudge comes in a variety of flavors, including peanut butter, milk chocolate, vanilla almond and dark chocolate. Julene also makes marshmallows, plain or in flavors including orange or raspberry. Her Arkansas pralines are a popular product, and the pumpkin pie spice flavor is an original recipe.
Children love the variety of lollipops available in traditional round style or in the shape of hearts, roses or bears. Lollipop flavors include English toffee, butterscotch and orange. Candy is a good hostess gift if you're invited to dinner with family or friends. Popular gift items include dark chocolate peppermint patties, chocolate cherries and truffles. Peanut butter balls are available, some covered in chocolate and some only partially coated to resemble buckeyes. Bags of caramel corn, the shop's newest product, are proving to be a good seller.
Keller's offers attractive gift boxes for packaging her products. If a customer is buying a gift and is unsure of the recipient's preferences, gift certificates can be purchased and the recipient can choose his or her own flavors. Shipping is also available if customers want to send candies out of the area.
Wildlife paintings are a part of the decor in Keller's shop. They are painted by a family friend, Henry Hawkins of Centerton, and are offered for sale at prices ranging from $45 to $70.
Julene's father, Bill, 92, and mother, 89, of Bella Vista, were on hand at the open house Saturday and were obviously pleased with the turnout for the event. Hot spiced cider, cookies and candy samples were served and three drawings were held in which guests won prizes of a pound of candy.
Keller uses "Each Piece an Original" as the slogan for her business. She invites customers to drop by the shop on Saturdays or to contact her by phone, 479-586-1491, or email, [email protected].
Community on 11/19/2014