Vintage 1950s
Chocolatiers
A beautiful box of chocolates just says, Valentine's Day (among other celebrations. I thought it would be fun to look up some of the popular chocolatiers of the 1950s. Enjoy your walk down memory lane.
Russell Stover Candies, Inc., founded by Russell and Clara Stover in 1923, is an American supplier of candy, chocolate, and confections. The corporate headquarters are in Kansas City, Missouri.
Russell Stover Candies did not start with candy. In 1921, Russell Stover and his partner, Iowa schoolteacher Christian Kent Nelson, created the world's first chocolate-dipped ice cream bar. At a dinner party, Russell's wife Clara Stover suggested calling it an Eskimo Pie. The product was a success for them, making them quite a fortune in their first year.
However, as other companies soon began to release similar chocolate-dipped ice cream products, Russell Stover was nearly forced out of business. The Stovers sold their share of the company for $25,000 and moved to Denver, Colorado. In 1923, Russell and Clara created the new company from their home, packaging and selling boxed chocolates. They were originally named "Mrs. Stover's Bungalow Candies". However, 20 years later, in 1943, it was renamed Russell Stover Candies.
The company remained in the Stover family until 1969 when it was purchased by Louis Ward, who transformed the Midwest regional brand into a worldwide brand. The company expanded its chocolate brands by acquiring Whitman's in 1993 and Pangburn's in 1999. It was owned by the Ward family until July 14, 2014, when the Swiss chocolate maker Lindt bought Russell Stover Candies.
So, taste buds ready for some chocolate now?
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