Hercules, the mythological character renowned for his strength, maybe a strange name for a candy company. But Hercules Candy Company has been going strong for over 100 years, established by the great grandfather of Steve Andrianos.
Today, Terry and Steve run the show. Being born into a candy-making family from Greece, Steve has been making candy for as long as he can remember. He’s carrying the family name on his shoulders with pride from his family home in East Syracuse, USA. It was he who revived the business and opened the store after five years of its being shut down.
Terry explains how Steve got things going on syracusewomanmag.com, “The equipment was very simple. He just had candy thermometers, copper kettles, the double boilers you need for chocolate and he started it up. He got some sugar and some ingredients and he started in 1977.” However, he only opened the store seasonally, since he was holding a job as a bartender. It was here he met Terry, his future wife.
After the two got married, Hercules Candy Company really took off. Steve looked after candy making, while Terry looked after the business. The two revived the lost art of candy making and started making it like it was made in the early 1900s – by hand and without any machines. However, not using animal products in their candy is what places this company apart. Once, when Steve posted a video of this on his channel, viewers demanded to see more such animal-product-free candy items.
This was just the beginning. Today, Steve has his own YouTube channel on which he showcases candy making. So popular are these videos that they’ve been viewed by almost 40,000 fans, making the couple celebrity of sorts. And, of course, earnings from their channel helped them to move into a storefront with larger space for trying out new creations.
So, if you happen to pass through East Syracuse, don’t forget to visit the store at 720 W. Manlius St. for some really dandy candy. As Betty MacDonald of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle’s Magic very rightly puts it, “There’s nothing as cozy as a piece of candy and a book!”
Hercules Candy
