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Mattoon has had a sweet tooth since the earliest days. There were several confectioneries open before the 1900’s. |
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One of the earliest of these was Usher Colson, who placed this small ad in 1876. |
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| Colsons Confectionery | 29 E Broadway | 1876 |
| B F Noble | 55 E Broadway | 1881 |
| Carmon Brothers | 47 E Broadway | 1881 |
| Kelly & Kelly | 1223 Broadway | 1892 |
| A Henderson | 58 E Broadway | 1897 |
| Krick Brothers | 1515 Broadway | 1898 |
| Webster, W N | 101 S. 17th | 1898 |
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Right around the turn of the 20th Century, Mattoon saw an influx of Greek immigrants who brought their candy making trade with them.
| Palmisano & Son | 1513 Broadway | 1894 |
| Fillipo Gentile Confectionery | 1815 Broadway | 1900 |
| Menke Confectionery | 1715 Broadway | 1900 |
| Papadopulos Confectionery | 1604 Broadway | 1904 |
| Sheopoolos Confectionery | 1614 Broadway | 1904 |
| Hattoom Confectionery | 1703 Broadway | 1907 |
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Perhaps the most notable and warmly regarded one of these were the Kehias Brothers who came to Mattoon in 1919 and purchased the Rapp Confectionery, shortly thereafter renaming it the Blue Bird Candy Shop. |
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Candy Shop was a misnomer, because they were also known for their food, ice cream and soda fountain. |
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The upstairs Green & Gold Tea Room was a popular gathering place as well. |
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The Kehias’ also operated the Blue Bird Annex adja-cent to the Mattoon Theatre. |
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Another Mattoon favorite was the candy business owned by Virgil Bidwell. Bidwell opened his first candy shop in 1927 at 1514 Broadway. In 1931, he moved to 1510 Broadway. Over the years, he would move the store’s location several times, operating a shop at 1009 Broadway, next to his home, for many years. |
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By 1976, after Bidwell’s death, his daughter and her husband, Don and Joan Bidwell Gard-ner operated the business and moved it to the Good Neighbor Shopping Center. They also operated a branch store in the Cross County Mall. |
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The Gardner’s sold the business in 1994, ending the Bidwell family involvement.
In 2010, new owners opened on Broadway with a candy shop and café. It has since closed. |
