ST. LOUIS — The owners of a St. Louis staple are thanking the community after their call for help went viral.
Crown Candy Kitchen's post about "trying times" got about 16,000 shares on social media but the support wasn't all virtual.
"I've been doing this for 43 years and this is unlike anything I've ever seen or had to deal with," said Andy Karandzieff, owner of Crown Candy.
Established in 1913, this small business in old north St. Louis has seen its share of hardships. But in the midst of making candy and dealing with crime, they never expected to live through not one but two pandemics.
"It is our second pandemic but my grandfather never left me a note on how to survive a pandemic so we're kind of winging it," said Karandzieff.
Crown Candy is one of several other small businesses in our region facing a decline in customers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Every week since September, it has been getting worse and worse and worse. the week before we were doing winter business and when I mean winter, I mean cold snowy, people don't want to come out type of business," said Karandzieff.
So, the owners decided to use a resource Andy’s grandfather didn't have in 1918 during the Spanish flu pandemic.
They put a post on social media asking the community to support the beloved city staple.
"I always said if people aren't thinking of you, they're thinking of someone else meaning they're going somewhere else," said Karandzieff.
Karandzieff said the crowds came pouring in with about 1,000 customers a day.
"It’s been unbelievable, the show of support St. Louis has shown us," said Karandzieff.
The owners hope their shift encourages other business owners to stay the course, because surviving two pandemics shows they know a thing or two.
"Maybe we'll get a plaque made up and put it outside and say crown candy has survived two pandemics, you know I don't think many places can say that," said Karandzieff.