Tacoma, Washington was one of a select few ideal locations for candy manufacturing in the United States due to the mild climate and the ready availability of shipping options. Although the importance of Tacoma's mild climate declined with the development of refrigerated rail cars or "reefers" in the 1920s, Tacoma has remained a hub of candy manufacturing.
Original research by Brendan Balaam in 2015, with additional content by Deb Freedman.
| Name of Confectioner | Year Founded | Year Ended | Key People & Info | Addresses & Dates | First Year Listed | Significant Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Beverage & Candy | 1919 | 1926 | 1513 Pacific, then 1549 Broadway | 1925 | Fred Morisse, Former salesmen Tacoma Grocery | |
| Archer's Olympic Store | 1927? | 1939? | Roy P and Mary C Archer | 3817 South Yakima, later tavern & conf 1901 S K | Site of Trang Dai Massacre 1998 | |
| Athanas, Nicola & Vicola | 1910 | 1912 | 1704 Commerce, then 910 Pacific | 1910 | Also sold cigars at 1524 Pacific | |
| Ball Bros. Candy Co. | 1905 | 1906 | Irvin S Ball, brothers Samuel, Lacy, Bennett | 1008 Center, then 1915 Jefferson Avenue | 1906 | WWII started H & B Candy Company |
| Barto Ice Cream | ? | 1923 (?) | ? | 1922 | ||
| Bergoust, John J. | TNT 3/25/1947 A14 also Mngr. of Northwest Vinegar & Pickle Works. | 824 N M St. | 1901 | President of Stardiamond 1904 | ||
| Bon Bon Confectonery | Herman W Bryer | Briefly with Hoffman in 1892. | ||||
| Bond Chocolate | 1923 | 1927 | John T. Bond | 2407 Pacific Ave. | 1925 | Married actress Norah DesLys, company changed to Bon-Des-Lys 1927. |
| Bottcher's Candy Service | 1934 | 1939 (?) | William H. Bottcher 4005 6th Ave. | 1921 Commerce | 1937 | 1955 South J |
| Brown & Haley | 1914 | Still in Operation | Harry L. Brown, Jon Clifford Haley, Fred T. Haley, Margaret Mae Haley TNT 3/26/54 | 108-16 E. 26th St. | 1914 | Mountain Bar created 1916, Almond Roca created 1923. |
| Brown Bros. | 1906 | 1907 | 756 So. D St. | 1906 | ||
| Campbell, George E. | 1898 | 1900 | 715 So. 11th St. (presently National Guard Armory) | 1900 | ||
| Charley's Home Made Candy Co. | 1950 | 1951 | Charles Stroppe | 1211 South 56th | ? | Feb 51 TNT says open 6mos, learned trade LA |
| Cox Candy Co. | ? | ? | 4802 So. Yakima Ave. | 1932 | ||
| Crescent Candy Co. | 1907 | 1913 | Orra B. Dewey (NPRR worker) TDL 1/1/1911 T. Times 1/3/17 Harold W. Dewey (son) | 952 Pacific Ave. | 1908 | |
| Curtis, Aaron H. | 1901 | 1903 | 944 1/2 C St. | 1901 | ||
| Darling, John D. | 1890 (?) | 1891 | 1511 So. Tacoma Ave. | 1891 | Picture in Green Timber pgs. 48-49. | |
| Dasher, Davidson & Co. | 1901 | 1901 | Richard Dasher and Frank R. Davidson | Factory: 1715-17 Commerce, Salesroom: 1716-18 Pacific Ave. | 1901 | Dasher moved to Puyallup 1902, became a dentist |
| Davidson, Frank R. | 1901 | 1904 | Former miner, co-founder of Dasher, Davidson & Co. | home 1508 So. G St. | 1901 | vp & Mgr Stardiamond 1903-1904, T Biscuit 1905, then real estate |
| DeLuxe Candy Mfg. | 1918 | 1920 | Torgerson & Miller | 2405-7 Pacific Ave. | 1919 | 1919 TNT 25 employees, billhead 1920 |
| Demorest, Walter D. | 1935 | 1941 | T. Times 5/6/41 | 3317 N 29th St. | 1937 | Wholesale & jobber, likely just a salesman |
| Dewey Candy Co. | 1909 | 1916(?) | Orra B. Dewey (NPRR worker) TDL 1/1/1911 T. Times 1/3/17 T. Times 2/10/16 Harold W. Dewey | 904 & 952 Pacific Ave. (Wright Bldg.) | 1911 | |
| Diel, Fred F. & Co. | 1934 | ? | 1710 So. K St. | 1937 | ||
| Dillon & Davidson | 1902 | 1904 | MA Dillon and Frank Davidson | 1716-18 Pacific Ave. | 1908 | Props Stardiamond Candy Factory |
| Dorette Candy Factory | 1926 | 1957 | Harvey Kellogg TNT 3/6/48 A2 Dorothy Kellogg | 6643 S Union, then 8631 Tacoma Ave. | 1927 | Picture in Library Archives 1958 |
| Fisher, L.S. | 1909 | 1926 | 3018 N 8th St. | 1922 | ||
| Fonda, W. H. | 1891 | 1895 | 1107 Pacific Ave. | 1892 | ||
| Fred Candy Co. | 1904 | 1911 | Fred Shumate of Rye, WN; Levi G. Kent, George L Kent | 1002 S. Tacoma Ave. | 1906 | Succeded by Kent Candy in 1912. |
| Fujii, T. | 1908 | 1909 | 1504 So. C St. | 1908 | ||
| Garlick, Harry W. | 1913 | 1916 | 909 So. E St. | 1914 | Retail outlet The Sugar Bowl. | |
| Glaser Bros. Candy | 1932 | 1936 | Sidney & Polack | 1113 A St. | 1936 | |
| H & B Candy Company | 1939 | 1949 | Irvin S Ball & Arthur Hinz | 2804 Sixth Avenue | ||
| Hamilton Candy Co. | 1923 | 1970 | John D. (3019 N 29th St.) TNT 8/31/52 pg. D2 John G. (3726 N 31st St.) TNT 12/27/78 | 2310 A, then 1501 Pacific, then 722 Ct. D. 2301 K St. (earlier) | 1925 | Long-time Tacoma Candy Manufacturer. John D. Hamilton learned the trade apprenticing at Brown & Hal |
| Harry Brown Confections | 1944 | ? | Harry L. Brown, Alvin Brown, Charles Brown | 1932 Pacific Ave. | N/A | Independent company formed by Brown after Haley buy-out of B&H. Bought by Brown and Haley. |
| Hoffman & Bryer | 1892 | 1892 | Opened April 1, dissolved June 16 | 1108 Pacific Ave. | 1892 | Hoffman brief, Herman Bryer continued. |
| Hough, Willard D. | 1889 | 1889 | 405 S 9th & 117 1/2 S 9th | 1889 | Returned to Indianapolis, married Oct 1892. | |
| Humphrey's Assorted Chocolates | 1914 | 1927 | Wm Edgar Humphrey | 908 Broadway, then factory 2919 Alaska | 1925 | First as Meadowmoor Dairy Store |
| Jens, Nichol(as?) | 1895 | 1897 | 1105 So. Tacoma Ave. | 1896 | ||
| Johnson's Candy | 1925(Unofficial) 1949 | Still in Operation | Russell Johnson TNT 26 SEP 1997 A-1 | 924 MLK Jr. Way | ? | Started as an Ice Cream shop in 1925. |
| Josselyn, Benjamin W. | 1900 | 1904 | T. Times 1/17/39 Harry L. Brown | Factory at 760 C, then 103 S 9th | 1900 | Harry L. Brown and magician Ray Gamble both worked as shop boys in Ben Josselyn's store. |
| Keeler, W.V. | 1901 | 1901 | 952 C St. | 1901 | ||
| Kent, Levi G. | 1909 | 1917 | Worked for the Fred Candy Co. for several years. | 902 So. Tacoma Ave. 1002 So. Tacoma Ave. | 1911 | |
| Klein, H.P. | 1907 | 1910 | 313 So. 9th St. | 1908 | ||
| Krummel, Ferdinand Ludwig | 1909 | 1915 | 1218 N. Prospect | 1911 | Clara & Ferdinand, 2317 S M, factory from residence 1914. | |
| Layman & Kirk | 1911 | 1916 | Clarence M Layman, F R Kirk | 220 So. 25th St. | 1911 | |
| Loose, D.A. | 1905 (?) | 1907 (?) | 2422 Pacific Ave. | 1906 | ||
| Mack's Candies & Bakery | around 1922 | at least 1962 | Ernest McBreen, son Warren | 8402 & later 8518 South Tacoma Way | ||
| Marcoe's Candy Shop | 1930 | Still in Operation | Floyd Marcoe, Dora Marcoe TDL 12/16/45 TNT 9/23/51 | 4110 So M, 4108 So. M St. | 1937 | Staple of the Puyallup Fair since 1930. |
| Mars Candy | 1911 | Still in Operation | Ethel V. Mars, Frank C. Mars 3312 N 27th St. TDL 11/2/19 B6 T. Times 4/9/34 TNT 2/14/93 | 1147 Tacoma Ave. So. (Lorenz Bldg.) 2919 So. Alaska St. | To Minneapolis in 1917 | |
| Martin | Ralph Martin | 5440 S Union (Now S Tacoma Way) | 1919 expanding into next lot | |||
| McKee, W.W. | 1898 | 1905 | TNT 3/30/1920 | 1537 So. C St. | 1899 | |
| McNeil's Fine Candies | 1942 | 1959 | Cecil H McNeil 1942-1947, then Louis F Brentin | 6643 South Tacoma Way | 1951 TNT says sells to Bellingham & Grays Harbor | |
| Middleton, Fred B. | 1916 | 1920 | 1103 1/2 So. K St. 802 So. J St. | 1917 | ||
| Mott, C.A. | 1896 | 1897 | 1724 Pacific Ave. | 1896 | ||
| Muehlenbruch, C.T. | 1891 | 1920 | Charles T Muehlenbruch, died 1934 | 821 Yakima Ave. So. 953 So. Tacoma Ave. 1111 So. Tacoma Way | 1893 | Apprenticed with Bunte Brothers, Chicago |
| Nakagawa K. | 1913 | 1915 | 1354 So. D St. | 1914 | ||
| Nalley | ||||||
| Oriole Candy Co. | 1907 | 1913 | Harry L. Brown TNT 12/7/49 | 1908 | Absorbed into Brown & Haley 1914. | |
| Packer's Candy | ? | 1935 (?) | 2010 6th Ave. | 1932 | ||
| Paradise Confectioners | 903 Broadway | 1951 TNT says small shops | ||||
| Pendleton Webster | 1897 | 1900 | 823 So. Yakima Ave. | 1900 | ||
| Pheasant | 913 Broadway | 1919 7 employees | ||||
| Portland Cracker Co. | 1896 | 1897 | 1731 Railroad St. | 1896 | ||
| Puget Sound Candy Co. | 1912 | 1921 | TDL 4/25/20 E10 | 919 So. Yakima Ave. | 1914 | Ad in 1911 Times, 220-222 25th St |
| Puget Sound Candy Factory | 1891 (?) | 1892 | 953 So. Tacoma Ave. | 1892 | ||
| Purity Candy Co. | 1905 | 1907 | 1311 Tacoma Ave. | 1906 | ||
| Quality Candy | 1921 | 1923 | 1115 St. Paul St. | 1922 | ||
| Rice, John Conrad | ? | ? | TNT 11/10/47 pg. 16 | 2003 E 35th St. | 1932 | |
| Shaver, R.M. | 1890 | 1892 | NE Corner of So.11th St. & O St. | 1891 | ||
| Smith, "Old Pop" | 1900 | 1905 | Possibly same person as C.E. Smith. | 1146 Pacific in 1903 and 1904 | 1900 | Known for distributing hand-made toffee to kids for free on Pacific Ave. |
| Smith, C.E. | 1895 | 1899 | 952 Pacific Ave. 1001 1/2 Pacific Ave. | 1896 | ||
| Spencer & Co. | ? | ? | Possibly run by Stephen L. Spencer. | 1313 Tacoma Ave. N | 1919 | |
| Spencer, Stephen L. | 1915 | 1918 | Noted Kiwanian TDL 7/21/18 B5 | 705 N G St. | 1917 | |
| Stardiamond Candy Co. | 1899 | 1905 | John J. Bergoust, Frank R. Davidson, and Louis Streeter all employed here at some point. | 1716-18-20 Pacific Ave. (Russell T. Joy Bldg.) | 1900 | Property loss in 1903 fire. 1904 1724-26 Pacific. Later bought out by Wiegel Candy Co. |
| Stokes Candy | 1928 | 1934 | Arthur Outouse | 2010 6th Ave. | 1932 | earlier at 608 N Oakes |
| Streeter, Louis | 1904 | 1904 | sec/treas 1904. 1905 TB&C | home 906 N St., then 808 Ainsworth | 1904 | Mngr. / V.P. of Stardiamond 1904 |
| Superior Candy | 1920 | 1924 | 2407 Pacific Ave. | 1922 | ||
| Tacoma Biscuit & Candy Co. | 1904 | 1931 | Major employer in Tacoma. | 2421 E. F St. | 1914 | Bought out by Nabisco 1931. TPL says built bldg 17th & Jefferson 1904. |
| Tacoma Candy & Cracker | ? | 1907 | 1912 Jefferson St. | 1906 | ||
| The Palm | 1907 | 1914 | 944 Pacific Ave. | 1908 | Bought out by Brown & Haley. | |
| Triangle Confectionery | 1916 (?) | 1919 (?) | 204 No. K St. | 1917 | ||
| Wallerstein, Louis / Pioneer Candy Co. | 1881 | 1897 | TDL 3/29/1890 | 946 Pacific Ave. | 1889 | Earliest known candy company in Tacoma. |
| Ward Candy | 1926 | 1929 (?) | 1108 So. 11th St. | 1928 | ||
| Wayno, Frank | 1927 | 1928 | 3738 S Sheridan | 1927 | Candy maker since 1914. | |
| Western Candy Company | 1909 | Clarence M Layman, F R Kirk | 2408 Pacific | |||
| Widmaier C.A. | 1893 | 1895 | 1105 Pacific Ave. | 1893 | ||
| Wiegel Candy Co. | 1890 | 1937 | Andrew J. Wiegel 4622 N Verde St. TNT 3/30/1920 Walter J. Wiegel TNT 12/9/64 | 1722 Pacific Ave. (Russell T. Joy Bldg.) 1922 Pacific Ave. | 1890 | Water damage in 1903 fire. Moved Bought out Stardiamond. |
| Willoughby Conf Co | 1951 | Wm & Kenneth Willoughby, father & son | 306 E 26th | 1951 TNT says first year, crew of 6. | ||
| Wilson Bros. Candy | 1923 | 1934 | 624 Trafton St. | 1925 | ||
| Worden & Murray | 1924 | 1927 | 622 St. Helens | 1925 | ||
| Worden & Smith Co. | 1919 | 1923 | Same Worden as above. | 1111 So. Tacoma Ave. | 1922 |