Readers have delicious memories of Smiles’n Chuckles
Fond memories remain of the people who made the factory thrive
This was totally unplanned. Initially, I thought one edition (Feb. 10, 2024) of Flash from the Past would suffice for a story about a local business long gone for half a century. But no, enough interesting historical tidbits emerged that a second and “final” instalment was necessary on February 17.
Then, you readers began writing, so Smile’s Chuckles lives one more time!
The explosion of comments following the two columns contained dozens of anecdotes and recollections of working there … and not just from actual ex-employees. Their children and grandchildren still remember older relatives talking about the joy of a Smiles’n Chuckles job.
Other stories came from people living in the Smiles’n Chuckles neighbourhood between 1915 and 1972.
Commentaries under the two Flash from the Past website versions were complemented by a flood of emails. Some were requesting the Canadian Magazine’s 1976 article I had mentioned, but others just wanted to tell stories they’d experienced or been told.
I am no business sociologist, so perhaps this is common enough throughout industrialized cities — i.e., local company is gobbled up, departs, memories (good or bad) linger for a while, so long.
But sometimes nostalgia triumphs. However, there seems to be a special hold that Smiles’n Chuckles still has on this community’s memory?
■ Was it the product? — everyone loves chocolate.
■ Was it the name? — a brilliant marketing phrase.
■ Was it the management? — were the Hamblins perfect bosses?
■ Was it the idea of candy largesse? — workers got huge discounts; visitors got treats and neighbourhood kids knocked at certain factory doors or windows for handouts.
■ Was it K-W people spotting Smiles’n Chuckles candies in stores from coast to coast and, at least until 1972, being proud to see one’s own city name on the label?
■ Or was it the disturbing sense of loss felt by both workers and community when there was no more Smiles’n Chuckles on Weber East — yet another locally founded company chewed up and spit out elsewhere!
From the many family remembrances and stories sent in, the following extracts represent the sum.
■ Deb Panchaud’s grandfather, Lavern Kennedy, a 50-year employee, was the factory trouble shooter. He invented the Nutcho treat and kept the Turtle’s production line’s caramel at a desired consistency!
■ Neil Rieck’s aunt started at Smiles’n Chuckles in the early 1940s. She answered an ad requesting “good handwriting!” Her first job was to fill out little white gift cards tucked into boxes of chocolates sent to Canadian troops overseas.
■ Dave Mitchell’s dad, Tom, was maintenance foreman for 25 years and when the plant closed, he rescued many photos left behind. Using those, Dave has produced two videos highlighting the company picnics.
■ Joan Lazarski grew up beside a man who worked at Smiles’n Chuckles and many a time he would treat neighbourhood kids to “expired” chocolates.
■ Gerald Weiler lived not far from Gordon Hamblin’s family on Stirling Avenue. Gerald and his pals knew that the first and best place on Hallowe’en night was the Hamblin house … a full-sized Turkish Delight was just the start.
■ Peter Arnold went to Shepard school in the 1950s and had to walk each day through the “sickly” smell of the factory. His quotation marks indicate irony!
■ Sandy Parks’ great-grandfather Charles Kruse was a plumber regularly called to Smiles’n Chuckles. A family story says the wartime sugar shortage didn’t seriously affect the Kruse household since his work was often supplemented with gifted sugar from the candy factory.
■ Dan Cardy’s route home after class at St. Anne’s School took him past the factory and he soon learned that Turkish Delight seconds were usually available at a certain back door.
The annual company picnic was recalled by many people. Buses filled with employees and their families headed to Crystal Beach to enjoy usual company picnic things — races, balloon tosses and scrambles — but the Ferris wheel, merrygo-round and other Crystal Beach rides added to the fun.
Many thanks to everyone who responded.
Dave Mitchell’s pair of short videos about Smiles’n Chuckles picnics are at:
■ youtube.com/watch?v=DKLb6RzY1Dw
■ youtube.com/watch?v=tDbNc8Qfml4