Sweet day for Sarris
Canonsburg chocolatier celebrates new factory
CANONSBURG 无毛视频� The recent sweltering heat didn无毛视频檛 melt the high spirits 无毛视频� or the chocolates 无毛视频� at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Sarris Candies无毛视频� new factory store in Canonsburg to celebrate its opening.
More than 100 Sarris employees, local and county officials, Canonsburg residents, and Sarris mascots Franky Twist and Coco the Chocolate Bar gathered July 1 near a giant-sized cut-out of a box of the company无毛视频檚 renowned chocolate- covered pretzels to celebrate the official opening of the 17,000-square-foot production space, where the peanut butter meltaways, pecanettes, and other confections are made.
无毛视频淚t is a sweet day, and for me, this is dangerous because I love chocolate, especially Sarris chocolate,无毛视频� said Canonsburg Borough Council President Eric Chandler. 无毛视频淭o the Sarris family, thank you. Your family has been the center of this community for years, and this venture turns Canonsburg into a destination.无毛视频�
Five generations of the Sarris family 无毛视频� including President and CEO Bill Sarris, whose late father, Frank Sarris, launched the candy company in 1960, Sarris无毛视频� mother, Athena, 95, wearing a signature pink pantsuit, and Sarris无毛视频� youngest grandson, 6 无毛视频� turned out for the dedication.
无毛视频淥n behalf of the Sarris family, thank you for coming to celebrate this time with us,无毛视频� said Bill Sarris, 73, who said he has long been committed to expanding the business in his hometown.
The new Sarris store, at 135 Meadow Lane in Canonsburg 无毛视频� formerly the Fort Pitt Bridgeworks, a historic steel-fabricating plant 无毛视频� will offer factory tours to the public starting July 6.
The tours, which will provide chocolate enthusiasts a behind-the-scenes look at the Canonsburg candy company无毛视频檚 manufacturing process through large picture windows, can be booked online now.
The original factory site, which houses the ice cream parlor and the iconic 1,500-pound chocolate castle complete with flowing chocolate waterfalls, is located at nearby Adams Avenue.
Among those who attended were members of the Washington County Board of Commissioners. Chairman Nick Sherman joked during the ribbon-cutting that Sarris Candies 无毛视频渉as been ruining diets无毛视频� while 无毛视频渕aking Canonsburg great for decades.无毛视频�
无毛视频淭he fact that you wanted to stay here in Canonsburg is such a great example of how much you guys give back to our (borough and our county. We无毛视频檙e so lucky to have you. This is the sweetest place in Washington County, and we无毛视频檙e happy to have you here,无毛视频� said Sherman.
When tours officially launch next week, it will be the first time in the company无毛视频檚 66-year history that visitors get to see how Sarris chocolates are made.
无毛视频淲e really haven无毛视频檛 changed anythin. We无毛视频檝e been making (chocolates) the same way, using the same recipes, doing everything we无毛视频檝e always done, and I think that will surprise people more than anything else,无毛视频� said Sarris. 无毛视频淲e look forward to getting people in who have never been to Canonsburg, or who have never gotten to see what we do. There are people who don无毛视频檛 get to see the behind-the-scenes of what无毛视频檚 going on, and our history. This building we无毛视频檙e in has so much history, and people will learn about that when they visit. We无毛视频檙e looking forward to that, and our employees are enjoying that as well.无毛视频�
Following the ribbon-cutting, visitors headed inside the factory 无毛视频� which has a Willy Wonka vibe of sorts 无毛视频� where a stacked Sarris chocolate-covered pretzels sculpture stands near a spiral staircase that leads to the mezzanine level.
The factory includes television monitors that show educational videos about the history of Sarris Candies and the chocolate-making process. A collection of chocolate candy molds are placed throughout the factory, and whimsical chocolate-themed merchandise including baby bibs and T-shirts are available for purchase.
The public tours will be available three times a day, with a maximum of 15 people per tour, Monday through Friday, at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. Private group tours for as many as 40 people are available, and advance reservations for both can be made at sarriscandies.com.
Sarris said opening the factory has 无毛视频渂een emotional,无毛视频� and the ribbon-cutting was a significant moment.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e wanted to do this for a long time. It has taken years of planning to get it done, and having the support of everyone in the community has meant a lot,无毛视频� said Sarris. 无毛视频淭here has been a lot of history here. The opportunity is here to create more of it, and I hope we do.无毛视频�