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‘Tis the Season, but…
Traditions linger on…for a time. I had a friend, I have been known to call him my Mentor, even though at times the lessons went the other way. Sherm was born on the exact same day as Alex Trebek. He retired from his corporate job back in maybe 1995 to run a couple of small businesses that he and his wife had. We would go up and visit them. They were closer to the country, probably a good sixteen miles north and ten east of us. Their businesses were complementary: an ice cream shop and a candy factory and retailer. The candy had big days from September through May, and the ice cream was big during the summer. At some point, they decided to buy a place for the candy factory. They had intended to keep the ice cream and candy retailer in the same place but their landlord at the old shop got wind they were looking around, so he tripled their rent. They moved into the new factory and took the retail candy business there as well, but closed down the ice cream business. They sold all of the ice cream equipment.
Somewhere along the way, maybe even before Sherm had retired from his corporate job, my wife and I started giving out gifts of half-pound boxes of chocolate from Sherm’s factory for Christmas. We gave a box to each family member, brothers, and sisters, step-brothers, step-sisters, parents, nieces, and nephews. The box count went between twenty-five and sixty over the years. Then we might get larger boxes for various places, such as a two-pounder for our chiropractor’s office. Everyone in my family plus people at church and other friends have looked forward to that little half-pound box every year, it was really very good chocolate.
But time marches on, and none of us are immune to it. Sherm and his wife Linda were getting older. Sherm had had a number of health crises, including cancer and so last year they sold the business. And then early this year, Sherm passed on. He was still a bit short of eighty, didn’t make it quite as long as his co-birthdayist.
I have been in the candy shop a few times this year. They have changed the boxes and sizes they use and raised their prices. Still, it was time for placing the order for Christmas. I called them up to place the order.
“We don’t have half-pound boxes anymore. We do have a 7-½ ounce box, and that assortment is $19.99.”
“$19.99?” I asked. “I seem to remember it as less last year.”
I think it was $7.99 last year for the full eight ounces.
“The previous owners had not raised prices in forty years, and we had to bring prices in line so we would cover our costs.”
Now, I had only known the previous owners for about twenty-five years, but I know a half-pound box used to be $4.99, and maybe lower since I was a customer. Sherm had raised prices more than once since I was going there.
And, I can understand if the price went up a bit, maybe $9.99? Maybe even $11.99? But $19.99?
Well, we’re not getting the chocolate treats from there this year. We may get them from another Michigan candy company or we may get something else. But that twenty-plus year tradition was officially killed.
Also, I can’t imagine the new owners will be in business long with prices like that. I just did a price check with other companies. $15.99 for a half pound one place known to be overpriced. $23.50 for a pound another place or 13.25 for half-pound. $16.50 another.
Seeing this sort of thing makes me very sad. Happy Christmas. Now, what do we do?
Published in Group Writing
Chocolate? You’re talking my language! Your friend’s shop’s pricing seems to be in line. I checked Kilwins, Harbor Sweets of New England, Willian Dean in FL, all handmade, small batch companies.
https://www.kilwins.com/shop/boxed-chocolates
https://www.harborsweets.com/product/winter-wonderland-wrap-20pc-assortment/assorted-chocolates
https://www.williamdeanchocolates.com/product/10-piece-assortment/
I would be more concerned if the quality has changed. Have you tried it? I received a fantastic gift of chocolate toffee one year by a fancy company in Texas. I have food allergies and soy is one. But a lot of candy has soy and I am ok if I don’t eat a lot. I has a reaction to the candy – bummer. I read the label and there was some sort of an ingredient that I’d never heard of, and it is being used in sweets to cut costs. I think it was a butter substitute.
One of the best things I’ve ever tasted was a chocolate shop in Tallahassee who offered this chocolate drizzled popcorn (dark or milk) with cranberries. Wow! It was outstanding.
So if your gang looks forward to this chocolate – maybe get it in a different amount?. Ok – I’m going to get a piece of chocolate now………….
I don’t either. I can’t stand the taste of anything coffee-flavored. I wish I did, as I understand its benefits as a caffeine delivery system.
I don’t think it beats Mountain Dew. And certainly not Mountain Dew KickStart.
I haven’t had a Mountain Dew in about 20 years, but I was my go-to for a while in college. Diet Coke seems to be doing the trick now.
I did some checking in my kitchen. Diet Coke has 46 mg of caffeine in 12 oz. Mountain Dew has 54. Kick Start has (uh oh!) 69. Or 92 mg in a full 16 oz can.
Even if some types of coffee have more, I still prefer the taste of Mountain Dew. And usually I prefer cold over hot. (Cold usually makes it easier to drink more of it, too. And Mountain Dew costs less than coffee, especially if you get your coffee at Starbucks etc.)
I always feel lost at Starbucks. Glad I don’t waste my money there, but my husband probably makes up for whatever I’m saving.
Oh, and while I drink Diet Mtn Dew now, the original has sugar to go with the caffeine. Which also makes it “better” than coffee. :-)
I feel your pain, Arahant. I found out about the best pizza shop in town closing on the day my father died. I don’t want to say which of those was the true heartbreak. It’s probably been 15 years since my favorite Chinese restaurant closed, and I still mourn the loss.
I hadn’t heard your father had died. Was this recent?
August of 2017. I’ve told a few close friends but never mentioned it openly on Ricochet before.
Well, condolences on your loss.
Thanks. It’s the mixture of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, and gorgonzola cheeses on one of their signature pizzas that I miss the most.
Aaawwww! You’re so sweet!
If I had a French wife, I might buy chocolates in Paris, too.