ST. LOUIS — I had an afternoon photo shoot with Andy Karandzieff, owner of north St. Louis restaurant and candy maker Crown Candy Kitchen, one day last week. Andy is one of the five business owners we’ve been following since the start of the pandemic for our ongoing Small Business, Big Mission series, which continues next week. Before arriving, he said I should enter on the side of the building since he would be in the back, making chocolates.
Upon entering the building, I was overwhelmed by two things: the smell of chocolate and the environment. This was not the typical food processing facility that I’m used to photographing from time to time. This was mom and pop, this was nostalgia, this was history. I could practically see Andy’s father and grandfather in this space doing exactly what Andy was doing the afternoon we met, pouring melted chocolate into various-sized Santa Claus molds. I knew immediately I wanted to return to spend a little time photographing Andy and his staff making the famous Crown Candy holiday treats.
If you’ve been to Crown Candy, you know what I mean. The place is steeped in nostalgia, from the art on the walls to the display case in the front — the space is a throwback like few others (if any) in St. Louis. The methodology for making holiday chocolates is the same as ever.
Some of the molds Andy uses are, much like Crown Candy itself, well over 100 years old and cannot be found anymore. The pecan clusters are patiently made by retired candy salesman Timothy O’Bryan. Each box is hand-packed by Crown Candy employees, some before their shifts in the restaurant start. Andy and his wife, Sherri, need all the help they can get during the holidays, especially this year.
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