‘Tis the season for bourbon balls, chocolate assortments, almond brittle or any other type of confectionery desire made at Andria’s Candies. David Atkinson, co-owner of Andria’s Candies and Frank White, the two candy makers, are busily making homemade treats for the holiday season.
“We are a seasonal business,” Atkinson said. “Christmas, Easter, and Valentine’s Day.”
The candy store is open year-round Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, but during the “seasons,” the store is open on Saturdays around the holiday.
Thomas Andriakos opened the candy store in 1959, and in 1991, Eva and David Atkinson purchased it.
With repeat business, it is a family tradition for several Owensboro families.
One family purchased Andria’s creme-filled, personalized Easter eggs each year for their children and now purchase them for their grandchild, just to keep the tradition going.
Andria’s Candies are shipped throughout the United States, although Adkisson said he knows they have been enjoyed as far away as England.
Several nut brittles are made at Andria’s and are designed similar to toffee but without the chocolate. Adkinson makes the almond brittle without using whole almonds, he says.
Bourbon balls are made with bourbon, butter and cream mixed with pecans that have been soaked in premium-aged Kentucky bourbon and rolled into bite-sized pieces then covered in chocolate.
The process can be a three-day affair, Adkinson said.
Andria’s Candies has a web page showing the description of the products, but customers must call to order or go in the store, which is preferred by many. This is because customers need to see and smell the assortment of treats to know what this almost-60-year-old candy shop has to offer.
Andria’s is located at 217 Allen Street.
