Make it McIntyre's isn't Just a Slogan - It's Our Roots
Back during the Christmas season of 1948, Grandma Thelma McIntyre, and her baker husband, Kermit, began to Make It McIntyre's in their Altoona, Pennsylvania basement.
Our traditional line of chocolates, creams, nuts, barks and, of course, our Cashew Butter Brittle, all sprang from family recipes and trial and error. Local fans soon began trekking to the McIntyre's front porch to secure homemade treats for Christmas and Easter.
By 1960, McIntyre's Candies operated through most of the year. Late in that year came the first true storefront, at 1330 17th Avenue in Altoona. Former students of Keith Junior High still talk about stopping in the shop for fresh candy after school. To this day, our daily candy-making concludes around school dismissal time.
In 1982, McIntyre's Candies moved to our downtown Altoona location at 1417-1419 11th Avenue. Mrs. Barb Ray, daughter of Thelma and Kermit, and her husband, Jack, had now become integral members of the candy-making team. From 1982 through 1992, McIntyre's Candies grew through the addition of nationwide mail-order service and wholesale deliveries to several area grocery stores. In 1992, McIntyre's expanded into the adjacent building to increase candy-making capacity.
Grandma McIntyre remained active in the business until her death at age 93 in 2003. Vivid memories remain of her working the candy-cupping line, making sure that every piece was just right before it went in the box.
In late 2004, Barb and Jack Ray sought to enter retirement while keeping McIntyre's a family-run business. Many interested buyers approached. However, the Rays selected the Ruggerys, Don Sr., Don Jr., and Jay, hometown folks who grew up eating McIntyre's Candies.
The launching of McIntyre's Candies Virtual Store and the addition of a new chocolate enrober in late 2005 represented our initial commitment to growing what Grandma McIntyre began in 1948. We have continued this commitment by developing wholesale and private label sales of our products, adding chocolate-striped pizzelle cookies, from the Ruggery family recipe, to our product line in 2009, and, in June 2010, we opened our new, flag-ship retail store in the Mansion Park section of Altoona. We thank you for finding us online, and look forward to Making It McIntyre's for you!
New for the fall: peanut butter and jelly.
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