The Caledonia Candy Company is re-emerging
Barbara A. Martindale- For What It's Worth
Most don't know about the 1950s Caledonia Candy Company. It's coming back with some of the same recipes that made it a success years ago.
The candy will be on display at Light Up Night and at Haldimand House's Country market during weekends leading up to Christmas.
It all began when Harry Vlachos moved from Mitchell to Caledonia in 1936 and opened the Caledonia Restaurant in the building that at one time was the McGregor Hardware and Insurance business, next to the Opera House. Harry and Pauline Vlachos' family consisted of four girls and two boys - Ted and Jimmy.
Harry Vlachos made candy for his restaurant, using recipes that date back to the 1840s and using an old family commercial book that told how to set up a candy business. The recipes generally used ingredients for making 100-pound batches.
Then WWII came along, and the Vlachos boys went off to war - Jimmy with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and Ted with the Navy. Their four sisters worked in the restaurant.
On their return from war, the brothers and their dad modernized the restaurant. In 1948, Jimmy and Ted took over the business from their father.
That was the same year that Harry's daughter, Bea, married Louis Leousis. Both Bea's family and Louis' family (on the Danforth in Toronto) were originally from Greece, and were both from families who had been in the restaurant business.
Harry Vlachos was one of those Caledonia businessmen along with Dr. Whitehead, A.E. Jones, Ob Scott and others who were active in the community at the time. He served on council, was president of the hockey club and more.
When his sons took over the restaurant, Harry went into real estate and developing. In fact, Caledonia's Pauline Street was named after his wife. A section of Kinsmen Park once belonged to Harry Vlachos, an extension of his home on the Shetland St. hill.
Candy making on a larger scale came about with Ted, Jimmy and their brother-in-law Louis Leousis in the 1950s. Louis was involved with the Oasis. The manufacturing of candy in the heat of summer was almost impossible, and needed a cool environment for the molds, the folding and rolling. There was no air conditioning in those days so candy was made primarily in the winter.
With a large staff, the Vlachos brothers and Louis manufactured the candy in the building behind where Enliven Spa is located today. Louis would drive all over Southern Ontario taking orders. They were competing with the Alan Candy Company - a Hamilton company that began in 1931 and still exists today. The Caledonia Candy Company (the three C's) sold candy to Eatons and Simpsons and smaller stores. Hor Hound candy was one popular product, and the Easter season was huge for the Caledonia Candy Company.
By the early 1960s, the Caledonia Candy Company came to a close.
Fourth generation Alex Leousis, a graduate in Criminology from Bishop's in Sherbrook, Quebec, and Ian Thompson, a McMaster student with a historical interest, are bringing back the Caledonia Candy Company. They are manufacturing the 1840 recipes from the same family commercial book, and selling the product as a component of Haldimand House and the Oasis.
"Alex and Ian are the energy behind the Caledonia Candy Company - young blood back in it," said Chris Leousis, owner of Haldimand House and the Oasis.
