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Candy bars often have sweet, chewy and crunchy sensations; which can make it hard to choose one particular favorite.
My personal choice made headlines during the past two weeks in the Twin Cities. The Pearson's Candy Company announced that it was closing its doors, which will mean the loss of more than 100 jobs. They make the famous Salted Nut Roll, a mixture of cream, caramel and peanuts.
The candy bar goes back almost a century, to 1933 and the depths of the Great Depression. It has remained popular throughout the Midwest.
It was my favorite candy bar as a kid because it stood out. I've always liked chocolate, but the Salted Nut Roll was something different.
It was almost like the big pecan logs that you slice with a knife, only it was more affordable. It was never a disappointment. Salted Nut Rolls don't melt on warm days.
I enjoyed the candy stands next to the checkout counters at Marshall's former Super Valu (which is now Western Printing). My parents never put my sister and me on an allowance, but they did give us money for candy or ice cream on a fairly regular basis.
Much of the time I would opt for a pack of Topps baseball or football cards, with the paper wrapper and bubble gum. If I went with a candy bar, it would often be a Salted Nut Roll.
There wasn't much to compete with candy bars. We had several other options, such as Starbursts, Sweet Tarts and Jolly Ranchers; but the candy bar remained the main candy choice.
I'd say Hershey bars were the single most popular candy bar in the 1970s. They were rivaled by other chocolate laden treats such as Snickers, Milky Way and Three Musketeers. We also had the Marathon bar, the rope shaped alternative that lasted "a good long time".
Another candy bar that made a splash was Fifth Avenue. One of my school friends really liked Fifth Avenue, and at one point told me it was better than my Salted Nut Roll. I just politely replied that I didn't think so. It would have been pointless to argue.
There was divided opinion on the Salted Nut Roll. Some didn't care for it because it had no chocolate. Others like me thought it was unique.
Probably the only candy bars that had more mixed opinions were Almond Joy and Mounds. They still get mixed reviews. Some people crave coconut, while others flat out don't like it.
All of the popular candy bars have loyal fans. That's enabled them to stand the test of time, to thrive even as consumer behavior changes. The Salted Nut Roll is a definite example. It always served as a symbol of St. Paul and of Minnesota, almost as much as the Pillsbury Doughboy.
The question for 2026 and 2027 is what will happen to Pearson's. A few days after the article about its shutdown I read another article about how a group headed by a former owner want to buy it.
I wish them luck. If their plan doesn't come to fruition Pearson's should perhaps go to a non-profit, maybe one that employs people with disabilities. It would save jobs. It would also mean the preservation of a piece of our culture, something that's truly Minnesotan.
It's true that business is business. Maybe the leaders at Pearson's believe they're using their heads. Maybe the sales volume and the profit margin are making it difficult for them to listen to their hearts.
My hope is that another set of leaders, either private or non-profit, can make it work. There's something to be said for a steady return, one in which the revenue and expenses stay in balance.
I don't shop for a candy bar very often anymore. They're considerably more expensive than when I was growing up. I also have less of a taste for sweets. I'm likely to go for a healthy snack.
If I decide I need a candy bar, I'd like to still have the option of choosing the Salted Nut Roll. I hope it continues as times change. Hopefully it will keep its place alongside other traditional candy bar favorites.
The whole process will be driven by consumers. The question is whether they'll want it enough, if they'll buy it often enough to cause an increase in sales. It's definitely possible, especially since the product is truly one of a kind.
-- Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent