The Carmelcorn Shop Hits the 80 Year Mark

Circus peanuts. Mint straws. Snowballs. Horehound. Sassafras. Rum butter. Where in Easton can you find all of these confections? In one of the oldest continually operating businesses in the city - the Carmelcorn Shop.

 “What do they say, find a job you like and you never work a day in your life?” Sia Bassil says smiling. 

Like and love are two words that come up frequently when you’re in the business of selling sweets. This is a love story, of two people who fell in love in 1986 and were married three months later, Tony and Sia Bassil.

Ten years later, they purchased the business that Sia loved, and worked for since her school days at Easton Catholic. And it’s the patronage of the customers that have kept the place in business, a different kind of love, of course.

This year is the Carmelcorn Shop’s 80th year in business. ‘Since 1931’ is painted on the candy-caned bench out front; practically a trademark. Inside, it’s wall to wall candy. Behind the counter is a popcorn maker, shelves lined with carmelcorn. Several options of roasted nuts are in a display case.

A full assortment of handmade chocolate candies, some sugar-free. The opposite wall is lined, top to bottom with pound candies and boxed candies, some of them very rare. This is the time of year for Easter bunnies and jellybeans, and both are in stock. Chocolate bunnies in a variety of sizes and flavors. And of course, chocolate eggs, which are customized with customer’s names, for free.

“I was hired here by the founding owners, John and Ruth Doherty. I worked here after school. Then I was married and had a family. In 1996 I bought [the shop] from Dick Basket,” Sia explains.

So what is new? What has remained the same?

 The light mood shifts a bit as Sia brings up the fire. In October of 2006, the neighboring structure caught fire during a renovation. Though the Carmelcorn shop did not sustain fire damage, it sustained major water damage.

Everything – inventory and much of the equipment – had to be replaced. Sia considered asthetics of the equipment she replaced, wanting the shop to undergo the smallest changes possible as possible. Tradition is important, after all, when you’re running an 80 year old business.

For months, the Bassils worked to get the shop back in working order. In February that year, Sia reopened her shop and was humbled by the customer response. 

“People came in and said they didn’t want to go other places, but they had to… for the holidays,” she explains.

As for staying true to the old shop, from what Sia says, it’s in both what you see and what you taste. “We tried so that people wouldn’t see much change.” The shop uses recipes that have been passed down over the years by previous owners. Gift wrapping and personal customization of two-piece hollow chocolate eggs is complimentary.

Sia comes in as early as 3 AM to start the day’s work, which includes popcorn made fresh every day, nuts roasted three times a week, constant restocking of chocolates and pound candies, and packaging of gift orders.

Top-selling items include dark roasted peanuts, pound candies, and of course – carmelcorn.

The Bassils are currently planning a big celebration for the 80th anniversary of the shop. So far, all Sia can guarantee is a big birthday cake, the involvement of Mayor Panto, and possibly blocking off of some or all of the quadrant.

 Sia is more than pleased that customers return when they’ve moved away and are visiting home. “They say that [the shop] smells the same.”

Do Tony and Sia have favorites? Surely, with everything sold at the store, something must appeal more than others. Sia says that her husband likes the homemade vanilla caramels, while she is practically immune to the temptations all around. "When you work with it every day, you know... it's not as tempting!" She likens it to working at a donut shop and not eating donuts due to constant inundation.

 Everyone has a happy memory related to scent. Whether it’s a favorite perfume, the smell of fresh laundry, the bold aroma of coffee, or the scent of your favorite person… that happy association that follows?

That is just one of the things that the Carmelcorn shop does for Eastonians.