Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1488721
It's 9:30 AM on a snowy, cold Sunday morning, and there is already a line at the counter of e Sweet Palace in Philipsburg. Manager and candy chef, Heidi Heser, chops up bricks of creamy fudge and weighs bags brimming with hard candy as she chats with customers hailing from Helena to Spokane. Shirley Beck, co-owner and Heidi's mom, opened the doors to e Sweet Palace 25 years ago, and since then, they have gained a loyal following. "Local for us is from Spokane to Great Falls to Kalispell to Dillon," says Heidi. "ere are people who come two or three times a year and bring all their family and their company. People make it an annual tradition." e huge shop features shelves of glass jars filled with gumdrops, jawbreakers, and classic candies like Abba Zaba. A counter in the center of the store is packed with caramels, fudge, toffee, marshmallows, and taffy; all made on-site. So why have Heidi and Shirley continued to put their heart and soul into e Sweet Palace for a quarter of a century? "It's the people on that side of the counter," says Heidi. "It's all about the relationships." Sweet Palace Imagine the time and effort it takes to make all the layers of color found in the Sweet Palace's golf-ball sized giant jawbreakers as you savor one of these sugar bombs. The candy chefs highlight nuts in a variety of ways whether on their own or as a crunchy addition to smooth chocolate treats like grizzly-sized bear claws and dark chocolate macadamia clusters. Shirley Beck was inspired to open the Sweet Palace based on her fond memories of visiting candy stores as a child, and the pride she felt in being able to spend her own money buying the affordable candy. Heidi Heser's days are busy yet rewarding between helping customers at the counter and making much of the candy in the expansive kitchen next door at the Copper Cauldron. Shirley Beck's idea of opening a candy store in the late 1990's as a way to help revitalize downtown Philipsburg has paid off big time as crowds of candy lovers visit year after year from near and far. The 26 | SIGNATURE MONTANA Susie Wall writes from Missoula. Endless curiosity has led her to write about a variety of topics, but her favorite subjects continue to be the captivating people of Montana. 109 E Broadway St, Philipsburg, MT • (406) 859-3353 Customers are already planning their next visit to this 3,000 square foot candy shop as they leave with bags full of cherry sours, red licorice, Jordan almonds, and root beer barrels.