Taste of Candy offers a Potpourii of Gifts

By Mike Trueblood

Published in The Burg Oct. 24, 2024

During a 40-year career in telecom sales, Cathy Webb embraced the same dream.

"I always wanted to own a small gift shop," she said. "This became available and I said let's get it."

Taste of Candy, which celebrated its first anniversary on Oct. 3 at 61 S. Seminary St., is that dream come true.

Raised in New York, Webb moved to Galesburg at 13, then left to live in Southern California before returning here in 1996.

"I saw it was vacant," said Webb of the building previously occupied by Dovetail Arts. "I was eating lunch with my daughter across the street at The Landmark and I said this has to be the place."

Sitting on the east side of the street between Baked pizza and the CBD Store in the middle of Galesburg's Seminary Street Historic District,Taste of Candy's sign might be a little misleading.. 

She does mention over 50 flavors of lollipops - including keto and no-sugar varieties and her candy assortment in the shop also includes dark chocolates, truffles, vanilla wafers and butter wafer cookies, caramels, and honey made candies.

But she offers much more than that.

"I sell things that help people relax and enjoy," said Webb. 

That includes things such as lotions and cosmetics, purses and bags, scarves, jewelry, wall art and photographs, figurines, greeting cards, and seasonal items.

Webb also sells tea pots and her own self-packaged brand of tea that customers can special order.

She does gift baskets for individuals and businesses and will special order items for customers.

Her most popular-selling item right now: perfume roll-ons and a mahogany-coconut men's lotion.

She sells products she gets from local vendors, artists and authors and gets other merchandise from across the country. 

"I've had the opportunity to travel in my life and see a lot of things,' said Webb. "I just got back from San Diego and I saw some candles I liked and brought them back here."

"I have a lot of local artists and authors who sell things here," she said. "Photos, acrylics, greeting cards. A lot of local products.I enjoy helping local people who are trying to sell. I'm happy to help." 

Taste of Candy (309-322-6255) is open Tuesday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m to-4 p.m. and is closed Sunday and Monday. 

It can be found on the internet at info@tasteofcandy.com and www.tasteofcandy.com.

Taste of Candy offers a 10 percent discount for seniors on Tuesdays; 10 percent discount for nurses, teachers, and veterans on Fridays; and a 10 percent discount for students through college age on Saturdays.

Up next on Webb's project list: the Christmas season.

"Last year I sold 526 ornaments in six weeks," she said. "I intend to sell more this year."

"We will have water globes and shelves filled with nutcrackers and Santas and wreaths. Our African-American Santas sell very well."

Webb said it's been a good year for Taste of Candy.

"I've made a lot of friends, enjoyed a lot of fun stories and had the opportunity to help a number of charities and benefits."

Being in the middle of Seminary Street and the historical district is good for the customer base.

"We get a lot of out of towners especially with the trains," she said. "They come from all over the country and Peoria and the Quad Cities. A lot of people from Peoria and the Quad Cities come and meet in the middle here."