Turlock residents are accustomed to shopping the shelves of See’s Candies during the holidays thanks to the company’s temporary holiday locations, but now, candy lovers will be able to satisfy their sweet tooth year round as the chocolate haven’s permanent location in Turlock opened its doors Wednesday.
The main difference between Turlock’s new, permanent See’s Candies store and the pop-up shops that many are familiar with is the selection of candy, said District Sale Manager Jennifer Fortney. Temporary holiday locations tend to remain open from the second week in November up until Christmas Eve, and though they are stocked with a majority of the company’s packed goodies, there is no candy counter like the one in the 2962 Geer Road location. At the candy counter, customers can create their own boxes of chocolate.
“What’s unique about our permanent locations is the candy counter,” said Fortney. “The wider variety allows us to better service the needs of the community.”
Turlock has been home to seasonal See’s Candies locations for the past three years, and the city’s support of those shops led the company to bring a permanent location to town.
“Turlock showed they wanted a permanent See’s Candies,” said Fortney. “The community seems to really appreciate us.”
The shop has a variety of Christmas gifts, including candy for one person to enjoy or large gift baskets to provide treats for an entire family. There are some candies that are only available during Christmas time, said store manager Michelle King, such as white nut and eggnog truffles, cinnamon and white mint lollipops and maple cashew brittle.
“These are things you can’t get year round,” said King. “It’s only going to be here now, and once the holiday is over, it’s gone.”
Turlock resident George Wolf visited the shop on its second day of business in search of gifts for his brothers, who live on the East Coast. From the store’s vast selection of sweets, he selected two one-pound boxes of assorted chocolates.
“I’m excited about it, because it saves me from having to drive to Modesto,” said Wolf, referring to Turlock residents’ previous closest See’s Candies locations in Vintage Faire Mall or McHenry Village
So far, the most popular item at the Turlock location are the salted nuts, said King, which are currently on sale for 50 percent off of the original price. All of the chocolate in See’s Candies is American-made, and most of the product in the Turlock shop comes from South San Francisco.
“We’re not just a candy,” said King. “We’re a tradition.”
See’s Candies’ will operate under holiday hours until Dec. 23, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. On Christmas Eve, the shop will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and regular hours will be Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 12 to 5 p.m. moving forward.
