LOYAL, Wis.
Complimentary Story
The story begins more than a century ago, in the small railroad/pioneering town of Marshfield Wisconsin. The year was 1905 when Ben Grambsch opened his home-made candy shop in Marshfield, known as the “Palace of Sweets.” Ben came from a long line of hard working entrepreneurs. His grandparents had emigrated from Eastern Europe back in 1855, first to New York and finally settling in the Fort Atkinson area. Ben’s grandfather -- and his father, Gus -- were both Master Carpenters. But then Gus struck out on his own, moving his family to Marshfield around the year 1900, and that’s how the Grambsch’s began their family legacy in Central Wisconsin.
I spoke with Bob Grambsch, Ben’s grandson, who shared a little bit of their proud family heritage which they continue to pass on and celebrate still today.
Grandpa Ben’s candy store was very popular in Marshfield. He had started it from scratch prior to marrying the love of his life, Lucy in 1910. The newlyweds kept busy with the candy store, selling directly to the public, and wholesale to other distributors. They even set up a popular concession stand at the local county fair each year, offering “Good Coffee,” “Cold Drinks” and a variety of “Eats.”
Then, in about 1922, Ben and Lucy made the decision to move their operation to Loyal, Wisconsin where it became known as the Grambsch Candy Kitchen. At that time, both communities were of similar size. No one knows for sure, what prompted the move, but the business remained based in Loyal from that time on. A devastating fire took place around the time of the Great Depression, but the Grambsch’s rebuilt -- this time using concrete, and the building remains standing and in use still today.
Bob remembers well working in the candy factory as a young boy along with his siblings, helping their grandparents make the sweet treats, and they were especially busy during Christmas time. They would make home-made candy canes, and hand-pulled stick and ribbon candies as their specialties.
As with most entrpreneurs, Ben and Lucy wore many hats, including delivery drivers.... and one day, just before Christmas in 1966, while making candy deliveries to stores in Marshfield, with Lucy sitting by his side, Ben pulled the car over to the side of the road, where he had a heart attack and died. After 56 years in the candy business, it seemed the Grambsch’s work was done.
The factory sat idle for many years, and eventually the factory building was rented out for other purposes, including apartments and a restaurant.
But the story does not end there. Ben’s son, Clyde (Bob’s Dad), was, by now operating his own business, manufacturing and repairing popup campers. In fact, Clyde was quite an innovator too, creating one of the first RV/campers ever made. The original pop-up camper developed by Clyde Grambsch in 1954 is now displayed in the RV/MH Heritage Foundation Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. (But that’s another story!)
Getting back to the candy... After his parents’ candy factory had been closed for several years, Clyde was approached by officials from the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. The museum wanted to set up a Turn-Of-The-Century street scene for visitors to enjoy, and they were looking for authentic signage, storefront memorobilia, etc. They had heard of an old candy factory that used to exist in one of the busiest railroad hubs in Wisconsin -- Marshfield -- and so one day they called on Clyde to make him an offer. When it was agreed that the museum storefront would be named “The Grambsch Candy Kitchen,” the deal was done... they moved the signage, and much of the original equipment up to Duluth and set things up much like it would have been when Grandpa Ben started his Palace of Sweets back in 1910.
Then in 1982, ever the innovator, Clyde came up with another idea: “what if we actually fired up the old equipment and made candy there again -- as a tribute to Ben and Lucy, in their memory, around Christmas time?”
The museum agreed wholeheartedly. And so that year, Bob, his parents and sister went up to the museum and made a couple batches of candy, right there at the museum, and gave the candy away to museum visitors.
Since that time, it has become a family tradition. Though Clyde passed away in 2015, every year still, the first Saturday after Thanksgiving, the Grambsch family returns in honor of their Grandparents -- and Great Grandparents... fires up the old equipment and together they make 40 - 50 pounds of home made candy canes and ribbon candy.
Bob and his wife are joined by 2-3 of their grandkids. His sister, Carmella, drives up from Minneapolis with her husband, 1 or 2 of their daughters, one son in law and two grandkids. Bob’s cousin, Terry, who now lives in Ohio drives up with some of his family too. Terry is the only other living family member that actually worked in the original Candy Kitchen in Loyal.
They measure the sugar and syrup, cook it all to 300 degrees, pour it out on marble slabs and add color and flavoring... the candy is hand pulled and shaped into candy canes and ribbons, and given away freely to museum guests. Of course, they usually have a few pieces left over for family and friends back home, too!
What a wonderful way to teach the kids and grandkids -- and great grandkids -- the story of their family heritage, along with a history of how things used to be in simpler times, instilling a great appreciation and love of family, at Christmastime!
This year, candy making day will be Saturday, November 26; the public is invited to come and watch old fashioned candy being made by the Grambsch family... and to take home some free samples too! For more information about the Lake Superior Railroad Museum and the Grambsch Candy Kitchen in Duluth, go online to:
lsrm.org/Home/depotsq.html
