SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Americans will spend 9 billion dollars this year on Halloween. On average one person will spend a record-breaking amount of $86.79 according to the National Retail Federation.
Local candy stores are competing with big corporations for customers this Halloween. Adam Mazzioni, owner of Sweet On Chocolate in Armory Square, said that for him Halloween season starts an increase in production.
“Halloween comes at an interesting time … it’s like the first holiday,” said Mazzioni.
Mazzioni said he sells about 150 truffles per day. That’s just truffles. He sells Oreos dipped in chocolate and orange sprinkles, chocolates shaped like mummies and chocolate jack-o-lanterns.
Michael Speach, the owner and head chocolatier of Speach Family Candy Shoppe, said that his family-owned shop is not like the bigger chainstores in the area.
“A lot of people are willing to spend more money for a quality piece of candy,” said Speach.
The appeal of handmade chocolate outweighs convenience of bags of candy for his customers.
Speach said one of his customers comes in every year to hand select candies for her trick-or-treaters.
“She’ll actually get a few candy apples for her neighborhood kids that she knows really well,” said Speach. “She’ll do chocolate-covered graham crackers … She’ll come in and get 300 pieces of candy.”
Mazzioni said that chocolate from chain stores can’t compete with handmade chocolate.
“Our chocolate is so good,” said Mazzioni.” You put that against a Hershey bar … the difference is just night and day.”
The holidays are just around the corner and these chocolate shops show no signs of slowing down when it comes to creating sweet treats.
Speach said Halloween turns to Christmas overnight. He gives himself one day to decorate in order to keep the momentum going.
Mazzioni takes a more gradual approach. When it comes to holidays, he said you can’t skip out on Thanksgiving.
“If we made a chocolate turkey we can melt them right down into little chocolate Santa Clauses,” said Mazzioni.
For now the store owners are still focussing on Halloween with enough chocolate treats to go around.
