About six years ago, married couple and business partners Missy Bertges and Greg Fornalczyk were on the hunt for candy that looked like beach glass. Now they're running their own candy store, and among their 500 products are some that look a lot like beach glass.
Back in 2019, Bertges and Fornalczyk could not find any stores in Erie that sold beach glass candy, which inspired them to create their own product.
"I was a little skeptical at the beginning," Fornalczyk said. "But she (Bertges) was serious and found the proper food licenses and business licenses. Thus we were able to sell it."
When the two introduced the beach glass candy from out of Bartges' mother's kitchen, the Erie community embraced it. The positive response led them to start their business, the Lake Erie Candy Company.
"With the beach glass candy people were searching for other candies and that got us into the wholesale distribution, branding, packaging and distributing special candies," Fornalczyk said.
Lake Erie Candy Company now sells more than 500 products online and through their storefront at 3330 West 26th St. in the Village West Plaza. Some of those products include:
"Being that we’re not a chocolatier, we have the only Daffin’s candy in Erie," said Fornalczyk, 46. "All of our chocolate is from Daffin’s which is unique because all of the other stores are chocolatiers and won’t carry other candy or chocolate. So we’re able to be an exclusive Daffin’s."
The store also carries a variety of gluten-free products and a snack line for salty treats.
"Not everyone is a sweets fan," said Bertges, 46. "Like me, I like salty products, so I like having a pretzel line."
Striving during the COVID-19 pandemic
Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic shortly after the business launched in 2019 was a challenge, but they adapted and developed a plan to fulfill orders utilizing contactless delivery. After launching lakeeriecandycompany.com, customers were able to place orders and have them delivered via a doorstep delivery business system.
"With COVID closing everything and social distancing, we had people placing orders," Fornalczyk said. "We'd then fulfill them contact-free. ...we’d ring the doorbell and drop off the product. We grew quite a bit from that because no one in Erie was giving anyone candy through their front door."
Opening a storefront in the West Village Plaza
As their business grew, so did their needs, and the owners were searching for a storefront in order to stay a wholesaler. They found a home in the West Village Plaza and the storefront opened in 2021, occupying the space previously held by Wild Birds Unlimited for more than 30 years.
The storefront had the opportunity to expand in 2024 into the unit located next door.
"We got fortunate as there was a unit in the plaza that became open and our neighbors at Turn 2 (Sports Cards and Collectibles) got the opportunity to get a larger and brighter space," Fornalczyk said. "That opened the space next door and we were just bursting at the seams here anyway so we just needed the extra room and we were very fortunate to be able to expand."
Today, the company is still trying new products and finding ways to expand their wholesale business.
"We never sit still here," Fornalczyk said. "We’re always trying to find new stuff, make it interesting and fun. If you give people a good product at a quality price, they’re going to be extremely loyal to you. We’ve been blown away by the support of the community over the years."
The Lake Erie Candy Company is open online anytime, and the storefront is open Monday - Friday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Contact Nicholas Sorensen at [email protected].