Wilkie Candy

Wilkie Candy We sell chocolates all year and candy canes occasionally. During this time, the canes were made in the homes of Burney E. The children of Sharon D.

Grandpa, Burney Chester Wilkie, learned the art of making all kinds of candies in Chicago candy factories when he was a young man. He passed the know-how on to his children and, four generations later, Wilkie family members are still gathering to make candy canes for their own enjoyment. During the height of the candy business (from the late 1950s through the 1980s), approximately 6,000 pounds of

candy were made between October 15th and December 15th each year. Over the years, thousands of people came to watch “candy in the making” – as many as four groups each night; this included Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, church groups, and sororities. Wilkie (Scoop) and Gladys Wilkie on Oliver and Holden Avenues in Aurora. Four 34-pound batches of candy canes were made every night. Four lengths were made: 7”, 11”,16”, and 30” long canes. They also sculpted the candy into baskets and wreaths. The baskets held the other candies made by the family – peanut brittle, peanut clusters, and peanut crunch. Wilkie and Burney C. Wilkie still remember the delicious mint chocolates that they would get for Easter and Christmas. Money earned from the business went toward the upkeep of a cabin on the Mississippi River in Thomson, IL. Family members enjoy giving out peppermint and cinnamon Candy Canes each year.

Address

Aurora, IL
60505

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Wilkie Candy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share

Category