The "The Best Ice Cream And Candy All At One Location!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Back in March of 2014 I wrote a story about the Miesse Candy Company in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The story was about the history of the company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania that dated back to 1875 when Daniel W. Miesse opened a shop in the first block of North Queen St. where he sold hard candies, ice cream and baked goods.  After WWI, Daniel's son, Roy C. Miesse went to France to study how to make chocolate and there developed the candy recipes that are still in use today. Then Roy Sr. and Roy Jr. opened a chocolate factory after buying the Helm Candy plant which was located at 735 Lafayette St. in Lancaster.  In 1980 Roy Jr. sold the business to a Willow Grove couple, and it had several owners thereafter.  In 2006, a fire destroyed much of the Miesse Candy factory on Lafayette Street, causing production to cease for about a year.  Throughout much of this time, Tracy Artus worked part-time as a clerk for the company and eventually became the owner.  In 2013 she moved the company to a 5,000 square-foot-space at 118 N. Water Street with a retail area on the lower level and The Steeple Lofts Apartments above the candy business.  In 2019 Tracy  turned part of the retail space at the factory into an ice cream parlor by installing a historic soda fountain that had originally been at a pharmacy in York, Pa.  The following January she began featuring Pensupreme Ice Cream at the soda fountain.  Tracy recently announced the sale of Miesse Candy to Ingrid Natale who has helped to revive the historic ice cream brand that is now available at an ice cream parlor at Miesse Candies' downtown location.  Natale said that she is buying Miesse Candies because it embodies the spirit of Lancaster.  She is inspired by the rich history of the company and the dedication to producing the Candies in the traditional way with high-quality ingredients and the opportunity to continue the great legacy of a company that gives back to the community.  Miesse Candies will continue to produce the candies that we have all grown to love in our lifetime.  And...we will now be able to enjoy both Miesse Candy and Pensupreme Ice Cream at the same shop on Water Street.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.