Ever think about that great candy you loved as a kid and now you just can't find it anymore? There may be a place that can solve that problem! For decades, the family-owned business Janco Candy Store has been providing sweet treats to people in the D and even helping out the neighborhood. Kila Peeples visited Janco to learn the sweet story of the store's success.
From twizzlers and skittles to old school treats, there is something here that will make you say "I haven't had one of those in years!" Owner James Nall, Jr. said if there is a candy that you can get somewhere in the southeastern United States, he will go find it for you. Janco Candy Store has been providing candy to Detroiters for almost a century, and the story behind it is as sweet as its treats.
Nall Jr.'s great grandmother and grandfather, known as Mr. Leddy, received rations of cocoa and sugar and they were making chocolate candy. They purchased the store in 1945. The family tradition continued even after the initial owners retired. James Nall Sr., married Mr. Leddy's daughter and took over the candy shop and the Leddy name in 1960.
For many years Mr. Leddy was a man behind the candy curtain, filling up kids' bags full of candy and full of hope by giving many of them their first jobs by training them how to work through a mentor program. When they're old enough to work, he put them on the payroll. There's even a wall of fame for all of the successful workers.
In the late 1990's Nall Jr. took over the shop and Mr. Leddy passed away late last year. Nall Jr. says he will continue providing sweet treats and jobs to people in the neighborhood, so the family tradition will live on.