Cookin' candy in the kitchen
Kristina Peters/Associate Verge Editor
Issue date: 1/12/07 Section: Road Trippin'
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101 West Sale Street
Tuscola, Ill 61953
217-253-3753
Hours:
Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lunch served: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
While working in Flesor's Candy Kitchen, Carly McCrory noticed something out of the ordinary.
As opposed to seeing customers enjoying an array of chocolate candies at the Tuscola shop, she saw a ghostly figure walk by.
McCrory, a freshman business major who works at Flesor's, was sitting at a table one night when she saw a tall man wearing a top hat with a feather in it.
She described the figure to the store owners' Devon Nau and Ann Beck's mother who identified the man as a friend of Gus Flesor. Flesor, the grandfather of Nau and Beck, started the family business.
Flesor bought the building in 1901 after his emigration from Greece. He opened the confectionary, and people claim he has not left since Beck and Nau have reopened the store in August 2004.
The spirit of Flesor has also been seen at the shop.
"I've always believed in ghosts," McCrory said.
Complete strangers who do not know of Flesor will sit and describe him perfectly after seeing his ghost, Beck said.
Visitors to the candy kitchen often claim to see other ghostly figures and hear the sound of footsteps. About a week before Christmas, Beck heard footsteps one night while she worked late making candy.
"We are haunted by nice spirits," Beck said.
When not seeing ghosts, the visitors and employees take part in the ambience of the original seating, lighting and floors in the building, along with the smell of chocolate, ice cream and bistro items being made in the shop.
"It is definitely a treasure," said Barb Kleiss, tourism director for Tuscola. "Everyone that works there just works so hard and they're getting the recognition that they well deserve."
A glass windowpane on the back door of the candy kitchen allows visitors to sneak a peek at the candy-making process.
Behind the door are two large marble table stands so that chocolate ranging in temperature from 250 to 300 degrees can be poured out to cool. A copper pot and small table are nearby to dip the candies.
Beck dips the candies, and Nau cooks them. All of the recipes are homemade ones developed by Flesor.
McCrory said that the food, candies and ice cream are the best because "it's all made here in our little room."
The products the kitchen produces have quality and are affordable, Beck said.
About 40 different kinds of candy and holiday packages are offered at the shop, and it sells and ships all over the world via its Web site.
The highest priced candy is $18.95 per pound and the least expensive is $6.95 a pound.
The shop has a full menu with a different special every day. One of the biggest sellers is the "Gusburger," named after Flesor.
"We specialize in very good comfort food," Beck said. "We sell our specials out just about every day."
One unique aspect of the kitchen is the soda fountain.
"We are one of the few working soda fountains in the country," Beck said.
The soda fountain offers a variety of products to customers including phosphates, ice cream sodas and milk shakes. Phosphates are carbonated drinks mixed with fruit syrup.
"There was nothing like this when I grew up," McCrory said.
This quality makes it a place for students to take family.
"For EIU students looking for a cool place to take Mom and Dad, this is it," Nau said.
Flesor's does get visitors from Eastern and even has Wi-Fi for students who want to relax and get work done.
"It's a neat place to come and visit," Beck said. "It's a nice way to step back in time a little."
Both owners have connections to the campus because Nau taught English at Eastern for 16 years and Beck ran the Trio program.
"The lesson in meeting me for people, for students, you can have two careers you love," Nau said.
For the Flesor's candy kitchen site click here
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