Candy Makers

The sweet spot in Three Rivers

By Sara L. Medina

The colorful scenery is enough to keep visitors occupied when driving through Three Rivers. The golden hills, blue lake and green trees help to set a tranquil state of mind. Nestled among the vivid scenery, Reimer’s Candies and Gifts, a bright red, white and green European-style cottage, stands out as a destination that offers visitors an invitingly sweet experience.

Reimer’s, located near the Sequoia National Park entrance, is a popular destination for tourists and regulars alike.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Reimer’s Candies prides itself on offering the biggest selection of candies in Tulare County, say owners Mary Anne and Lynn Bretz.

“It’s a storybook cottage full of delightful things to eat,” Mary Anne Bretz says.

Separate candy, ice cream and gift shops give customers a selection of items to purchase. The candy and ice cream shops offer more than 80 chocolates, some of which come from all over the world, as well as creams, chews, caramels, truffles, divinity and 25 flavors of homemade ice cream at any given time throughout the year.

With names like California Turtle and Pecan Grizzlies, the Bretzes try to add local flair to the unique candies offered at Reimer’s. In addition, most ingredients are bought locally, which helps the local economy.

For instance, the California Turtle is a yummy chocolate treat made with “local Chandler walnuts, pecans and caramel with a kiss of chocolate to top it off,” Lynn Bretz says.

Bretz takes candy making seriously. With a background in manufacturing, he says his goal is perfection. “I want the first (California) Turtle to taste just as good as the very last,” he says.

In fact, he wants to achieve perfection so badly that he actually studied the molecular build of fudge.

“Fudge is probably one of the hardest candies to make consistently well,” he says. “I want to get the formula down ‘to the T.’ “

A selection of old-fashioned “penny” candies is also available at Reimer’s. “We have penny candies like Idaho Spud that is not commonly found anywhere,” says Mary Anne Bretz.

In addition, the candy shop has a gourmet section that features teas from around the world and other decadent items.