Over 100 years ago, as Greek immigrants made their way into Chicago, learning how to
make confections was a path to making a living in the United States. For Gus Flesor, who
came to Tuscola in 1901, making candy and ice cream became a family business when he
purchased the Tuscola Candy Kitchen in 1904 for $500. Renamed Flesor’s Candy Kitchen,
the business became a home for Gus’ siblings and children who grew up learning to
make sweets, such as the popular Easter Bunnies sold in springtime. While Gus’ kids
and families began their own paths in life, the building sat vacant for 30 years before his
granddaughters, sisters, Ann and Devon, decided to revive the Candy Kitchen and bring
candy and ice cream back to Tuscola. Re-opening in 2004, the sisters had to re-acquaint
themselves with candy making as it was not a task that women undertook in previous
generations.

Today, Ann dips the candies after a full year of learning the craft, while Devon creates the
sugary confections in small batches. As they don’t use preservatives, the candy is made
daily, with thousands of pounds of candy being produced annually. Devon describes the
rush of making candy during the holidays as a “near-death experience” with all handson
deck to meet the needs of their customers. The homemade ice cream remains a
popular treat to guests, and while they follow a recipe, the fl avors can turn out slightly
diff erent each batch. Today, Flesor’s Candy Kitchen is an icon for the townspeople, and is
a stopping place for visitors passing through the state. It’s once again a family gathering
place, with Devon’s son exclaiming, “It’s just like I left it,” after returning from college.
Customers love the authentic experience, enjoying handmade candies, picking up a
book from their library where visitors are encouraged to take or leave a book, and of
course, interacting with the sisters. Devon is sure to always say thank you to their guests,
while Ann rarely makes it out to the front not only because she’s busy dipping the candy,
but because her generous nature tends to “give the store away.” Visitors can delight in
their popular “Paul’s Pecans”, as well as caramels, toff ee, buttercreams, nougat, hard
candies, caramel apples in the fall, and so much more. The sisters state, “We’re proud of
what we make. We eat it every day.”