By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Satisfy your sweet cravings at the grand opening of Thalia's Sweets and Treats in Hays.
The new store, 1702 Vine St., opens on Monday. The first 600 sweet-toothed customers will receive free lemonade and ice cream pops.
Owners Bradley Huber and Lisa Raub said customers can expect flavors from the past on the shop's opening day.
"One of the big things we're doing is nostalgic candy," Huber said. "We're going to have 'decades boxes' like candy specifically from the 1950s."
The boxes will include candy from each decade from the mid-20th century to the 2000s. In addition to its vintage selection, Thalia's offers ice cream treats, cotton candy and more throughout the shop.
The masterminds behind Thalia's Sweets and Treats are Huber and Raub's children, who named the shop after the family's emotional support pet.
"Our 6-year-old actually helped us come up with the name," Raub said. "She absolutely loves her dog."
Thalia Mae is a mix of great pyrenees, golden retriever and cockapoo. After the grand opening, customers can expect to see her at the sweet shop.
While their children Marley, Abel and Kinsley brainstorm new candy flavors, Huber and Raub focus on providing catering services to Hays.
"There's not really any places in town that do candy or snack tables. There's a lot that do desserts but not sweets," Raub said.
Thalia's Sweets offers catering services for parties, baby showers, bridal showers and weddings.
Displayed inside are local vendors whom Thalia's Sweets and Treats aims to support, a contributing factor to remaining in Hays.
"This community looks out for each other more than other communities would, and that was big for us," Huber said. "They're supporting us so we're supporting them."
The new store supports remote businesses by purchasing and reselling their products as an advertisement.
You can contact Thalia's Sweets and Treats at [email protected] or call 620-214-1559.
Huber and Raub hope to offer a wider range of ice cream choices, establish a kitchen to make old-fashioned hard candy and introduce a mini bakery.
Both relocated to Hays after high school and first met at Fort Hays State University where they worked as a catering chef and a coordinator for Chartwells.
Huber worked at various restaurants but always had a passion for candy. Ultimately, his children inspired him to make the career-changing decision.
"Restaurants are a lot. I was looking to go into something slower, and our kids were like 'candy,'" Huber said.
Thalia's Sweets and Treats is partnering with Fantasy Graphics East Studio, 1700 Vine St., on July 13 for a joint customer appreciation event.
Thalia's store is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
You can also visit their website and follow them on Facebook.