One Sweet Place
For 120 years Olympia Candy Kitchen has been chocolatizing all kinds of treats for area residents with a sweet tooth
By April and Andrew Bartel
Humans are wired to crave sweets. It makes us happy, if not just a little buzzed. From our ancient ancestors’ yen for berries and honey to the modern-day candy isle, everyone needs a treat every now and then. When hunting for sweets, Olympia Candy Kitchen in Hagerstown is a great place to start.
J.K. Proferes founded Olympia Candy Kitchen in 1903 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Brothers George and James Pananes bought the place in 1921 and their family members have been running the business ever since. Throughout its earliest days, the Olympia Candy Kitchen was a hoppin’ soda fountain and dining destination where people could find good eats and smiles throughout all of the hard times of the last century.
George’s son, Will, remodeled the business in 1971 and added a retro ice cream shop in 1978. The younger Pananes added a second location at 13154 Pennsylvania Avenue in Hagerstown in 1986, offering even more ways to satisfy the local sweet tooth and bringing joy to a whole new area.
Currently, the business is run by Will’s son, owner and president, Tony Pananes, along with his wife, Sarah. Tony started bussing tables in the ice cream parlor as a kid. Now he sees the grand vision.
“One of my favorite things about my job is that almost every single person who comes to the door is happy to be here,” says Pananes. “And they go away even happier because they have good chocolate or some of their favorite candies with them.”
Olympia Candy Kitchen boasts sweets for any type of craving, from the wide selection of year-round favorites to seasonal specialties. The signature line includes creamy-crunchy chocolate covered pretzels, gooey caramels, candied fruits, and classic pecan turtles. The store’s cases are loaded with fresh chocolate-dipped sandwich cookies, jellies, peanut clusters, marshmallows, and a delectable dark chocolate pistachio bark, all made in small batches.
“We cook all of our caramels and make all of our buttercream centers. We even have our own recipe for peanut butter,” Pananes says.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, customers can grab a pre-filled heart box or customize one with their sweetie’s favorites. Patrons can avoid the last-minute rush since chocolate stores well if kept in a cool, low-moisture area. Each season brings new flavors and styles of gummies, chocolates, creamy fudge, and candies, but Olympia’s enduring February favorite is a box of juicy made-to-order, chocolate-dipped strawberries.
There are sugar-free treats, too, along with a host of non-edible gift items. Every nook of this candy cottage is filled with treats. There are enough collectible stuffed animals and books, puzzles, cards, nostalgic candies, and candles to complete any gift basket. Olympia’s hand-dipped doggie-treats mean your best furry friend can enjoy something, too. Perishable goodies can be mailed to areas within a two-day shipping radius.
For Easter (March 31), Olympia’s candy makers will churn out dozens of molded chocolate figures, from bunnies and chicks to airplanes and everything in between.
Olympia Candy Kitchen
Chambersburg store
717-263-3282
Hagerstown store
301-739-0221
https://olympiacandy.net