Beloved Candy Store Lammes Abruptly Closing All Locations After 141 Years
An iconic Austin, TX candy chain is shutting down after 141 years in operation.
Customers learned of the news with a sign posted on the business’ Round Rock location, a report from the Austin Business Journal said.
The main store on Airport Boulevard will remain open “a bit longer so that everyone has the opportunity to purchase their favorite Lammes Candies treat,” according to the sign.
While that location remains open, the Round Rock store closed on April 24, with a sign that read, "we have made the difficult decision to close our business."
So why is the chain closing after over 140 years? The owners cited “changing market conditions and the long-term sustainability of our operations” as the reasons behind the decision to close.
Business Originally Stated in 1878
The iconic candy company was initially founded by William Wirt Lamme in 1878 and orginally called the Red Front Candy Factory. Lamme eventually lost the business in a poker game in 1885, but his son, David Turner Lamme, Sr., came to Austin to repay the gambling debt of $800 and reclaim the store as his own, the chain claims.
On July 10, 1885, Lammes Candies officially opened and remained a family owned and operated business for 140 years.
The final social media post for the company came on April 23 when customers were told about the "last call" on one of the chain's famous offerings, a "longhorn" know in the candy world as the turtle.
"Last Call on Longhorns! The BOGO sale ends on April 24th, so get this hot deal while it lasts. Offer is applied directly at checkout to our 24oz and 36oz Longhorns," it said.
Fans of the store replied in the comments wondering if the rumors of a potential closure were accurate. Less than a week later, a sign sat on the storefront door.
“It was not made lightly,” the sign said. “Lammes Candies has always been more than a business, it has been a family legacy, and a part of so many lives and celebrations.”
After 141 years, its run is over.