Our grandfather founded Flesor's in 1901.
Generations of Chocolate
Flesor’s Candy Kitchen is a resurrection of our family’s locally famous soda fountain and confectionary business located in its original site. Built in 1871, the building is part of the original town. In 1901, shortly after his emigration from Greece, our grandfather, Gus Flesor, bought the building and opened his own confectionary, a trade he learned from other Greek immigrants who were migrating downstate from Chicago.
Success in the business allowed him to bring two brothers over to America, support his own growing family and contribute to his new town, Tuscola, with a viable business and leadership in community organizations.
Well into his nineties, Gus Flesor was interviewed as part of the University of Illinois’ 1973 documentary of central Illinois artisans. In addition, our entire family was highlighted as the subsequent generations to maintain the now-vanishing craft of homemade candy and ice cream manufacturing.
Flesor’s Candy Kitchen in the News
Have you seen us online or in print? Drop us a line and tell us where you saw us and we will share it here too!!
- Illinois Office of Tourism Meet the people behind the bar at Flesor’s Candy Kitchen. Read online!
- Candy Industry Magazine: Sisters who run Flesor’s Candy Kitchen have come full circle: The Flesor sisters return home, resurrect their grandfather’s candy store and bring new life to a small town. Read this article online!
- Chicago Tribune Video Gallery: Landmark candy store returns to downstate Illinois.The Tribune visits Flesor’s Candy Kitchen, a popular location in Tuscola, Ill. established by Gus Flesor in 1901. It closed in the 1970s, but was re-opened by Flesor’s granddaughters in 2004. Watch the Video from their July 2012 visit!
- Illinoishomepage.net: The Flesor gals talk about their special treat to celebrate Independence Day! View segment from June 8, 2012
- Illinoishomepage.net: The Flesor gals talk about their new “Buzz Bark” chocolate coffee bark, coffee creams, and coffee ice cream! View segment from February 18, 2011
- Illinois Partners: Sweet Reunion at Century-Old Flesor’s Candy Kitchen October 28, 2011 (By Cathy Lockman). Great article and video!
- CBS Evening News: Flesor’s Candy Kitchen was featured May 4, 2007 on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric in the Assignment America segment. The segment is available online in the Assignment America. Watch the episode online!
- AmericanProfile.com: March 31, 2007 – “Although nearly 30 years had passed, the Flesor sisters found and bought back the original fixtures—the marble soda fountain, wooden booths and Tiffany-style lamps. Amazingly, every fountain stool, copper kettle and glass candy case had been warehoused by the antique dealer who bought the building.” Click here to read the entire article and see the great photos!