O'Ryans Village Archive Page
Sunday, January 30, 2011
I recently turned 50, whew! My wife and her sister created a digital photo montage of my life. It took about five minutes to watch. How's that for summing things up? One of the pictures was me at about age 5 standing on Main Street. I stared at this picture with my childhood in the background. In about 30 seconds, 15 years of my life blew through my mind. What spectacular times these were. The Kennedys, The Beatles, Ed Sullivan, Viet Nam, Muscle Cars, Civil unrest, Summer of Love, and Woodstock. America was changed forever.

I grew up in a small Midwestern town during these times. We were somewhat insulated from these events by the pace set by small town life. We saw through our televisions the World swirling around outside of our cocoon. We were very much aware of the change going on out there and while some things did change us too, we still lived in somewhat of a time warp. We had Main Street, and it was the center of everything in the town. Main Street cut through the town from beginning to end, and yes, if you didn't pay attention, you would miss it. To us that lived there, we didn't miss a thing.

Two full blocks of Main Street contained the businesses that provided whatever we needed for our day to day needs. The Public library where people actually sat and read books, magazines, and newspapers. The newspapers from all over the Country were hung over huge wood rods on a rack. This is how we brought the World to us before the World Wide Web. As you moved down the street the stores were lined up next to each other on both sides. The laundromat, barber shop, florist, the dentist, women's and men's clothing stores, shoe store, drug store, grocery market and butcher shop, dry cleaner, two car dealers, hotel, two diners, and two taverns. Oh yea, and a Church at each end of town. It was all there.

Now that I think about it, the businesses were all Husband and Wife teams. The market was run by a Husband as the butcher, the wife was the grocer. The Diner had the Mrs. waiting tables and counter while the Mr. was cooking. You know they had the best cheeseburgers that I have to this day ever tasted! They served up chocolate malts to you in Stainless cups. At the drug store, he was the Pharmacist and she ran the soda bar. On the corner of Main Street and the Railroad tracks was the most important place of all, The Ben Franklin store. We just called it "The Dime Store". The wife ran the dime store and he ran the hardware store in the back.

The Dime Store was a place where a dime could actually buy you some happiness. No, not everything was a dime of course, but to a child, a dime could open up all kinds of possibilities. The candy aisle was full of possibilities lined up on shelves in bright colored boxes, racks of goodies hanging, and glass jars full of treats that could be had for a penny or two. The drug store had a pretty good candy counter, but the Dime Store was King. There were jars full of Kits and BB Bats suckers, hot dog gum, Mary Janes, and Smarties rolls. On the shelves in boxes were usually the pricier items, had to do a little saving to get those treasures unless Grandma and Grandpa came to visit and you could talk Grandpa into a walk down Main Street. He sure expanded the possibilities! With his financial power I could shop the Bun Bars, Oh! Henry bars, and even the Mallo Cups. All of this in one spot. This store is the inspiration for O'Ryans Village. Although things have changed enough that this stuff isn't a dime anymore, you can still find it all in one spot. Browse our "aisles" of bright colored boxes and glass jars of Old Time candy and have fun. We are the Corner Candy Store on Main Street of the Information Super Highway. It too is operated by a Husband and Wife team. Enjoy a Sweet Little Blast from the Past!

For the record, this is all true! This town is Union Grove in Southeastern Wisconsin.

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Thursday, January 27, 2011

If you are a lover of butterfinger candy bar, then these Valentine hearts are a must try. Your favorite crunchy peanut butter candy covered in a smooth milk chocolate in the shape of a heart.

Now I know it must just be me, however these hearts seem to taste so much better then a regular candy bar. Is it just because it it heart shaped or maybe it is because you get more of the crunchy candy ? You be the judge.

Not only are these fun just to eat, but they also make great treats for your Valentine's day party or classroom hand outs. Let's face it although the candy conversation hearts are the number one selling Valetnine's Day Candy how many of those can you eat ?

Chocolate is what everyone loves and what would be better the chomping down on a Butterfinger heart?

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Junior mints are an old time candy favorite that became very popular in the late 50's and early 60's. A dark chocolate candy with a cool creamy mint filling. They even have a version for Valentine's day, Heart shaped Junior Mints. Just like the traditional Junior mints these are a dark chocolate candy with a mint filling. These however are in the shape of hearts and some of the mint filling is red.

What a perfect Valentine Gift for anyone who likes Junior Mints. These are a seasonal item and are available for only a short time. Make sure to buy yours early as they sell out very quickly.

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Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Nothing can compare to the nervous tension of a classroom on Valentine’s Day. We all had that one special crush in our life, and on this day all of our sophisticated courtships, the teasing, the chasing, the occasional hair-pulling, all these would come to fruition. The Valentine’s Day card itself was unimportant, it was but a blank canvas from which gauging our beloved’s intentions was a futile act. Ostensibly, we could have written our heart’s secrets there, and concluded the matter entirely. But then, we were children, we communicated in mysterious ways.

What truly mattered was the message on the Sweethearts candy attached to the card, for on those heart-shaped pastel tablets the final verdict of our endless yearning was inscribed. There was the apologetic rejection of ‘Be Good’, the encouraging, but insubstantial ‘Sweet Talk’, and, of course, there was the wild, electric elation of ‘Kiss Me’: as concrete a sign of love as there ever has been. Eating Sweethearts today brings back all the mixed emotions of those young romantic forays. Although we’ve grown older, and now express our desires more maturely, slipping a loved one a ‘Kiss Me’ Sweetheart is just as effective as ever.

Sadly, Necco, the maker of Sweethearts since 1866, recently bowed to the demands of modern candy, and fiddled with the classic formula. The old-fashioned sayings, replaced by bizarre modern updates like ‘tweet me’ and ‘you rock’. Even more is the change in flavor. The taste of Sweethearts used to be in harmony with the fragility of our Valentine’s Day emotions: sugary enough to soothe the most desolate soul, yet not too strong to overpower the fuzzy feelings of love. Now they come in flavors that appeal to our youth like ‘blue raspberry’, and possess a sugar kick more saccharine than soothing.

Thankfully, the nostalgia of your Valentine’s Day remains safe, because Necco’s original Sweethearts are still available online at O’Ryans Village. Sold in a 17 oz bag, these original Sweethearts feature the same sayings and flavors you loved as a kid. Grab a bag today, and let your loved one know they are still the classroom crush of your life!

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Saturday, January 22, 2011
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to say “I love you,” while tempting the heart with retro and nostalgic candies filled with sugary goodness and a sweet taste that brings you back to the carefree memories of childhood days.

Valentine’s Day is about love, romance, and sweetness all rolled up into one package. What could be more natural than celebrating this holiday with popular Valentine treats including Brachs Candy Hearts, Brachs Cinnamon Hearts, Luv Pops Heart Shaped Suckers, Charm Valentine’s Heart Pops, and Heart Shaped Junior Mints? Show your sweetheart just how sweet she is with the sugary sweetness of Brachs Jube Cherry Hearts, Caramel Hearts, and red, pink, and white Dots Valentine Candy.

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Friday, January 21, 2011
O'Ryans Village has a great selection of heart shaped candies. Whether you are looking for chocolate, sweet tart candy hearts, heart shaped suckers and lollipops, or the traditional candy hearts.

You may be surprise to find out that heart shaped candy is the number selling candy for Valentines Day. Many believe it to be boxed chocolates like Whittman's chocolates or Fanny May. Although many of those heart shaped candy boxes filled with mix chocolate are sold, just good old heart shaped chocolates out sell them.

Palmer Candy Company is known for their variation of yummy chocolate hearts. There are so many to choose from. Whether you enjoy a solid milk chocolate flavored heart,
Hearts filled with peanut butter or fudge. Then there are your classic double crisp hearts, dark chocolate hearts or chocolate conversation hearts. Last year they came out with a raspberry truffle heart which I have to admit are delicious . This year two new chocolate shaped hearts are available. Cookies and Creme Hearts which are perfect for those who like white chocolate and for those dark chocolate lovers there is a dark chocolate caramel swirled heart.

Wonka has some fun Valentine Candy. Everyone loves sweet tarts so Wonka has created a line just for your Valentine. Pick from Sweet tart suckers, heart shaped sweet tarts in bulk bags or in little packs to hand out at classroom parties. Also the gobstopper heart breakers,color changing jawbreakers in the shape of hearts and sweet tart gummy hearts.

Wonka sweet tart pops are not the only heart shaped lollipops. Charms also makes a Valentine pop , cherry flavored suckers in the shape of hearts. There are many brands of cherry flavored suckers; Swirl pops which are red and white or the Luv Pops you get a tub of cherry flavored suckers. Although many of the heart shaped suckers are cherry flavored Jolly Rancher Valentine lollipop flavors are; pink lemonade, cherry, watermelon and everyone's favorite sour apple.

Candy conversation hearts are a must have Valentine treat. Many companies make these tiny pastel hearts with love messages but the two most popular brands are Necco and Brach's. Buy them in bags or boxes, hand them out at classroom parties, fill your candy dish with them or use them to decorate your Valentine cupcakes and cookies.

We can't forget to mention peeps. Peeps are know best for being in the shape of bunnies and rabbits. For those who love peeps, we also have heart shaped peeps. Pink shaped marshmallow hearts are a great way to say I Love You.

We even carry everyone's favorite old time candies in heart shape form. Butterfingers just are available in bar form. You can also get butterfinger hearts still the same great butterfinger just shaped like a heart. Another old time favorite is the junior mints. We have Valentine Junior Mints , however the mint filling is red and white.

As you can see there are many different types of heart shaped candies to please your Valentine now that hard part will be picking just one.

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Thursday, January 20, 2011
Why not say I love you with an assortment of delicious nostalgic candies? Just about every woman loves to receive flowers or roses as a token of appreciation and love, but nothing is sweeter than the candy you treat her with on Valentine’s Day. Candy just about says it all.

What could be more perfect than to celebrate this special day with your children that to spread a little love and joy by sharing some of your favorite Valentine treats on the most romantic day of the year? Surprise the little ones in your life with Heart Shaped Peeps Valentine Candy, Kissy Pops, Trolli Gummy Hearts, Valentine Candy Puzzles and Bracelets, Valentine Heart Rings, or Airheads Valentine Candy. We even have adorable Plastic Canvas Magnets in a heart shape or with an adorable bear on them!


Our delicious Valentine candy is affordable and can help you in getting across a heartfelt message of fondness oGr love. While you can purchase Valentine candy any time of the year, there’s no time like the present! Try our assortment of Gummy Hearts, Swirly Heart Suckers, or Brachs Sour Cherry Balls for the gift that says “Love is sweet.”

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Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Does your sweetheart have a fondness for chocolates? Why not surprise him or her with chocolate conversation hearts? These yummy confections offer quaint little messages and lots of flavor. Other traditional favorites among retro chocolate Valentines candies include Double Crisp Hearts, a Solid Chocolate Heart (wrapped in red foil), and “I Luv U” Valentine Chocolate candy.

If your sweetheart enjoys surprises, give a Valentine’s Day gift of an assortment of Raspberry Truffle Hearts Valentine’s Candy, Chocolate Hearts Valentine Candy, Dark Chocolate Candy Hearts, Peanut Butter Hearts,or chocolate covered Marshmallow Valentine Candy Hearts.

Perhaps your sweetheart might simply prefer the unique taste of yummy Chocolate Fudge Hearts or Chocolate Lips Candy. For the dog lover in your life, O’Ryans Village has the perfect treat- Puppy Love Double Crisp Valentine Candy!

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Sunday, January 16, 2011
Brach's is known for their yummy candy.  No matter what type of candy you are looking for Brach's seem to make some variation of it. Brach's Valentine's Day candy is a very big seller. They seem to have what ever your taste buds are searching for. Sweet, Tart, Hard, Chewy, Cherry or Cinnamon flavored.


 Candy Conversation Hearts are one the top sellers.  Pastel in color these heart shaped candies have sassy sayings of love that everyone enjoys at this time of the year. " Love You","So Fine", "First Love", "My Hero" and "Dare You" are just a few of the sayings you will find.  Candy Hearts come in a variety of styles. Pick from 8 oz bags of  large hearts and small hearts, or 1 oz boxes of original flavors or for those you enjoy something a bit more tangy go for the tart hearts.

The of course they are the makers of the original cinnamon imperials. You just can't resist those itty bitty tiny hearts with a powerful cinnamon blast. These are also a great treat to add to your apple pies, applesauce or coffee for a yummy cinnamon flavor. If you are one to enjoy the spicier things in life, then I am sure you enjoy the cinnamon jelly hearts. Chewy cinnamon flavored gummies in the shape of hearts.

Another favorite Valentine treat are the Brach's jube jel hearts,  Brach's Sour Cherry Jels and the Peppermint Nougats.  Jube hearts are a delicious cherry flavored heart shaped candy that is not quite as soft and chewy as a gummy candy. The very much remind me of the jujyfruit candies everyone ate as a kid. Now even if you are not a lover of sour candy treats these Brach's sour cherry jels, also known as sour cherry balls are just waiting to tempt your taste buds. With a sweet candy coating and sour gummy inside you will find yourself reaching for more and more.

We can't forget about the classic nougat candies. They are available in everyone's favorite peppermint flavor or also in a cherry cordial. Caramel chewy nougats  swirled with a cherry flavor  or the classic peppermint flavored nougats made with real peppermint oil for long lasting flavor.

With Brach's candies not only can you tell your sweetie how much you love them , but they are also great for filling your candy dish and use to decorate your Valentine Treats. What ever you are looking to accomplish O'Ryans Village can help meet your needs.

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Saturday, January 15, 2011



Good news Necco Sweethearts Candy Hearts are now available again in the original flavors. In 2010  after 145 years, Necco made some changes to the way they made the conversation hearts.  Not only did they change the packaging, but they also made them softer and new flavors. The flavors that came out in 2010 are:
Lemon, Green Apple, Strawberry, Grape, Orange and Blue Raspberry. Although the new Sweethearts Conversation Hearts  flavors seem to appeal to the kids of today, most of the adults prefer the candy hearts they ate as a kid.

Candy Conversation Hearts are the number selling  Valentine's Day Candy that is not chocolate.  Necco Candy Company sells over 8  billion hearts a year. They will start in February making these pastel hearts for the following year.

It makes you wonder why after 150 years they would change them. Well the good news is they are back in the original flavors of Banana, Lime, Cherry,  Grape, Orange and Wintergreen.  At this point they are only available in a 17 oz bag. Maybe next year they will be back in the little handout 1 oz boxes. At least for those of you that like the original hearts you can still have them.

These were only available in limited quantities, so hurry and get yours now!

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Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Well now that Christmas is over it is time to start thinking Valentine's Day. A day to spend time with your sweetie and let them know just how sweet they are. We can help with that, pick from our great selection of Valentine's Day Candy.

Heart shaped candy of course is the number one selling candy at this time of year. Whether you are looking for chocolate hearts, brachs candy hearts,  gummy hearts or sweet tart hearts . We have heart shaped candy including suckers everywhere we look.

But don't forget old time nostalgic candy also makes great gifts for your special Valentine. Let him just just how much you love him with a box of sugar daddy suckers. A great gift for her is a tub of chocolate ice cubes. After all we know how much us women loves our chocolates. If this is the first year for you and your Valentine a pucker up candy gift basket would be perfect. A basket full of nothing but sour candies.

Kids of course love candy no matter what it is. Some of our top sellers are Wonka gummy sweet tarts, chocolate lips, Jolly Rancher heart shaped suckers,  sweet tart hearts or dots valentine candy. No matter what you choose as long as it is candy they will love it.

Shop early while the section is good, you don't want to be one of those last minute shoppers running around on February 14 looking for a gift for your sweetie. 


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