Crown Candy Kitchen

Crown Candy Kitchen. Behind the counter, proprietor Andy Karandzieff mans the milkshake machine.

Crown Candy Kitchen is a fast food restaurant, ice cream fountain, and candy store located on St. Louis Avenue in the Old North St. Louis neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri.

This St. Louis landmark is the oldest operating soda fountain in the metropolitan area, and one of the oldest in the country. The restaurant has an old-fashioned decor with Coca-Cola memorabilia from the 1930s, an antique cash register, and four-person booths.^[1] It offers a simple menu with sandwiches, “Chili, Tamales and Other Hot Stuff”^[2] and is known for its desserts, especially for its handmade malts and milkshakes. It is a popular lunch destination for office workers in downtown St. Louis.^[3] The chocolate is made from decades-old molds, some imported from Holland and Germany.^[4]

History

The fast food restaurant was founded in 1913 by two Macedonian immigrants. It was first operated by Harry Karandzieff and his friend Pete Jugaloff,^[5] then his son George, and later George's three sons, Andy, Tommy, and Mike Karandzieff.^[5][6]

Harry Karandzieff and his friend Pete Jugaloff opened Crown Candy in 1913.^[5]

Crown Candy has been making ice cream since 1925.^[7]

A fire caused by a space heater damaged the restaurant on December 25, 1983. Some Coca-Cola memorabilia and $2,000 of candy was destroyed.^[8]

Business was slowest in the 1970s and it picked up in the 1990s.^[3]

Crown Candy switched from Coca-Cola to Pepsi in 1999.^[3]

George Karandzieff died in hospice on Easter Sunday of 2005 after his sons finished up their work at Crown Candy, with Easter being their busiest times in the year.^[9]

Famous treats

The "Heart-Stopping BLT" is a classic from Crown Candy that uses 14 pieces of crispy, kettle-cooked bacon. This famous treat started off as an offering from Harry Karandzieff to Adam Richman after his failed attempt at the infamous Five Malt Challenge. In 2012, Richman then featured the sandwich on Best Sandwich in America.^[10] According to Andy Karandzieff, the BLT first started fairly normal before employees eventually started adding more and more bacon.^[9] Crown Candy Kitchen makes their chocolate candy by hand to this day.^[11]

Crown Candy challenge

The restaurant offers a challenge to consumers of their trademark malts. Should a person drink five 24-ounce (710 mL) malts or shakes within 30 minutes, they receive the malts for free and have their name inscribed upon a plaque in the store.^[12] During this challenge you will be disqualified if you: throw up during the 30 minutes of the challenge, go to the bathroom or leave your seat at any time during the challenge, or if anyone helps you by drinking any portion of the malt.^[13] The record for the five-malt challenge is 2 minutes, 29 seconds by Randy Santel.^[14] For seven malts, the record is six minutes, by Ben Monson.^[15][16] Since 1913, only about 55 people have successfully completed the Crown Candy Challenge, while several attempt it each week.

In popular culture

The Crown Candy challenge was attempted on the Travel Channel's television series, Man v. Food, by the show's host, Adam Richman, on an episode that aired on 25 February 2009.^[17] Richman was only able to finish about four of the five malts.^[18]

In 2012, it was featured on another Adam Richman-hosted show, Best Sandwich in America, for the "Heart-Stopping BLT" sandwich.^[10]

References

1. Rice, Patricia (1974-07-14). "Ice Cream Parlors, Old and New". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 3-I – via Proquest Historical Newspapers.
2. “Crown Candy Kitchen: Malts & Shakes: Soda Fountain and Candy: Old North St Louis, MO: 314.621.9650.” Crown Candy Kitchen | Malts & Shakes | Soda Fountain and Candy | Old North St Louis, MO | 314.621.9650 | A St. Louis Tradition Since 1913, Serving Malts and Shakes, Lunch or Dinner with Soda Fountain and Candy, 1 Feb. 2023, https://crowncandykitchen.net/.
3. "Episode 24: Crown Candy Kitchen's Andy Karandzieff". Made in St. Louis/KMOV. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
4. Bulock, Lynn M.; Mitchell Jr., Odell (1987-03-08). "Yum! Yum! Yum! A Visit with the People Who Make Chocolate in St. Louis". pp. 14–15 – via Proquest Historical Newspapers.
5. Oldani, John (2005). Sweetness Preserved, the Story of Crown Candy Kitchen. Virginia Pub. ISBN 9781891442346. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
6. Pollack, Joe (1988-09-19). "Crown Candy Kitchen Is Visit to the Good Old Days". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 22BP – via Proquest Historical Newspapers.
7. Davis, Nancy (1972-08-29). "Ice Cream of Homemade Variety". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. pp. 1D, 4D – via Proquest Historical Newspapers.
8. Hannon, Dennis (1983-12-27). "Sweet Future Awaits Fire-Gutted Landmark". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 3A – via Proquest Historical Newspapers.
9. Baehr, Cheryl. "St. Louis Standards: Crown Candy Kitchen Can't Stop, Won't Stop". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 2022-04-11.
10. Baehr, Cheryl. "St. Louis Standards: Crown Candy Kitchen Can't Stop, Won't Stop". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
11. sherri (2009-10-27). "About Us | Crown Candy Kitchen | Malts & Shakes | Soda Fountain and Candy | Old North St Louis, MO | 314.621.9650". crowncandykitchen.net. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
12. Bonwich, Joe (February 24, 2009). ""Man v. Food" St. Louis episode: Wed. 9 p.m." St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on February 27, 2009.
13. studio2108 (2012-05-11). "5 Malt Challenge | Crown Candy Kitchen | Malts & Shakes | Soda Fountain and Candy | Old North St Louis, MO | 314.621.9650". crowncandykitchen.net. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
14. "MILKSHAKE CHALLENGE RECORD ON FOX 2 NEWS!!". Archived from the original on 2021-12-19 – via www.youtube.com.
15. Flynn, Mike (May 13, 2010). "Some Guy From California Beat the Crown Candy Malt Record". PunchingKitty.com. Kevin Ross from San Bernardino, California waltzed in to the popular St. Louis store and proceeded to drain seven malts in six minutes.
16. Flynn, Mike (May 13, 2010). "Crown Candy Record Breaker Lied About His Identity!". PunchingKitty.com. The man that beat the living hell out of the malt challenge at Crown Candy a few days ago is not who he claimed to be. We now are positive the actual record holder is Ben Monson.
17. Rifkin, OJ (January 24, 2009). "Man vs. Food episodes #11-#17 air dates and sites". EatFeats.
18. Miklasz, Bernie (February 26, 2009). "5 Minutes for Blogging, Feb. 26". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on March 1, 2009. [H]ost Adam Richman went down for the count on "Man vs. Food" when he took on the Crown Candy Kitchen challenge of drinking five malted milkshakes in 30 minutes.

Further reading

• Oldani, John L. (2005). Sweetness Preserved: The Story Of The Crown Candy Kitchen. Virginia Publishing. ISBN 978-1891442346.
• Rich, Marney (1987-10-25). "Travel USA: A Guide for Travelers with Time on Their Hands 3 Hours to Kill". Chicago Tribune. p. Q26 – via Proquest.
• "36 Hours: St. Louis". New York Times. 2006-03-31. p. F3 – via Proquest.

External links

• Crown Candy Kitchen official website
• Interview with owner on Meet St. Louis Podcast
• Review from Fodors

38.651319°N 90.197825°W / 38.651319; -90.197825