Sweet surrender.
A beloved chain of candy stores is closing up shop.
In a statement, Lammes Candies, a Texas institution, attributed the closure to “unprecedented economic pressures and current market conditions.”
The company will shutter six of its seven Lone Star State locations. Both the Lammes flagship on Airline Boulevard in Austin and its online store will remain open while supplies last.
According to the Lammes website, the business was founded by its namesake, William Wirt Lamme, in 1878.
Originally called the Red Front Candy Factory, the business was lost by William in an unlucky game of poker in 1885. His son, David Turner Lamme, Sr., graciously repaid his father’s $800 debt and bought back the business the same year.
Rechristened “Lammes Candies,” the confectionery originally sold ice cream before getting into the chocolate game.
The company’s famous “Texas Chewie Pecan Praline” was introduced in 1897, and the tradition of using only Texas-grown pecans persists to this day.
Siblings Pam, Bryan, and Lana Lamme have owned and operated Lammes since 2004, making them the fifth generation of the family to do so.
“This was not an easy decision,” they emphasized in their closing statement.
“Lammes Candies has been more than a business-it has been a family legacy spanning generations. We are deeply grateful to our employees, customers, and community for their unwavering support over the past 141 years.”
The company is in the process of an “orderly wind-down of operations, including fulfilling remaining orders and supporting employees through the transition process.”
A Reddit Austin thread titled: “Lammes Candies is closing after 141 years. I can’t believe it” went live earlier this week, giving fans a platform to air both their devotion and disappointment.
“RIP to the Austin we used to know,” said the original poster.
“Noooo! Their candies were always my default birthday gift for people,” lamented one user.
“So happy they were here for as long as they were, so sad to see it all go,” added a second.
“People always put on a big show when these businesses close, but they wouldn’t have to if people actually supported them instead of giving Bezos more money. It’s simple. If you want a business to continue, you need to go there and spend money regularly. Anything else is truly pointless,” underscored a third.
According to a live segment from KVUE, candy fans were flocking to Lammes to stock up on candy staples before they are gone for good.
VP Lana Lammes Schmidt told reporters that the decision to close reflects the company’s unwavering dedication to quality.
“We could choose to use a cheaper chocolate; that would change the quality that we have stood by for all these years, and we’re just not willing to do that.”
Earlier today, the company advertised that its final farewell run of Chocolate Covered Strawberries will be ready in time for Mother’s Day, with pre-orders available from April 30 to May 7.
Lammes calls the delicacy, a staple since the 1970’s, “our love letter to Austin.”
“It’s bittersweet,” said Lammes Schmidt, who didn’t rule out hope for a candy-coated future.
“You never know, maybe down the line it will be resurrected by another generation.”
Source link
#Historic #candy #store #closes #years #operated #family #generations