Twin Cities Candy Industry Recently Dara Moskowitz-Grumdahl did an excellent segment with the Current FM morning crew on the past and present state of the Twin Cities candy industry.  She pointed out that the Twin Cities area was where Frank Mars got his start.  According to the 1922 Minneapolis city directory, the Mar-O-Bar factory was located at 718 Washington Avenue North.  Mars started the business in 1920.  He created the Milky Way bar in 1923.  Business got rough in the late 1920s and Mars was forced to sell the rights to the Milky Way bar to Schuler Chocolates of Winona, Minnesota.  Later in 1929 Mars opened a new factory in Chicago and bought back the rights to the Milky Way for $5000. Before the Candy Jar was opened where the old Abdallah factory used to be on 38th and Cedar there was the New Aster Candy Store. The note on the photo was written by William C. Varellas, who owned the store at 2600-2602 Nicollet from July 15, 1915 to July 5, 1935.  It was most recently Thom Pham’s AZIA restaurant.

Twin Cities Candy Industry

Recently Dara Moskowitz-Grumdahl did an excellent segment with the Current FM morning crew on the past and present state of the Twin Cities candy industry.  She pointed out that the Twin Cities area was where Frank Mars got his start.  According to the 1922 Minneapolis city directory, the Mar-O-Bar factory was located at 718 Washington Avenue North.  Mars started the business in 1920.  He created the Milky Way bar in 1923.  Business got rough in the late 1920s and Mars was forced to sell the rights to the Milky Way bar to Schuler Chocolates of Winona, Minnesota.  Later in 1929 Mars opened a new factory in Chicago and bought back the rights to the Milky Way for $5000.

Before the Candy Jar was opened where the old Abdallah factory used to be on 38th and Cedar there was the New Aster Candy Store. The note on the photo was written by William C. Varellas, who owned the store at 2600-2602 Nicollet from July 15, 1915 to July 5, 1935.  It was most recently Thom Pham’s AZIA restaurant.

Tags: Mar-O-Bar Milky Way Dara Moskowitz-Grumdahl Frank Mars New Aster Candy Store Abdallah Candies Candy Jar