In 1936 the Spanish Civil War began, Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Olympics in Berlin and Margeret Mitchell released her book Gone with the Wind. Not making as big of headlines at the time, the small candy store Liled’s Candy Kitchen also opened in Vallejo. This weekend, 89 years later, the store is still as sweet as ever. “When I took over ownership of this place in 2021, I was inheriting over 80 years of memories,” James Holland said on Saturday. “I love hearing the stories of people who come in here. I hear stories like a grandma coming in and saying their own grandma used to take them here. I hear stories of kids, now adults, saying they used to save their pocket change to come here. And I’ve also heard stories about some younger people who tell me that they used to come here on their lunch break from Vallejo High.” The store celebrated its 89th anniversary by offering 89-cent ice cream scoops on Saturday. That deal will continue on Sunday at Liled’s location at 1318 Tennessee St. “We’ve had lots of attention with this deal on social media,” Holland said. “We’ve had some people already come in (Saturday morning) knowing about this deal.” Lil and Ed Jensen (hence the name Liled’s) first opened the store in 1936. The store has since had six different sets of owners. The last set of owners, Vaughn and Evon Hardiman, sold the store to Holland and Jose Chavez in 2021. “I’m originally from San Jose, and was in the freeze-dry candy business,” Holland said. “I was looking for a kitchen to do this in, and then I saw the Liled was for sale. A few days later, I was sent the address, and the rest is history.” Holland said he has learned a great deal from the Hardimans about how to run the store and has also learned a great deal from Retail Confession International. “I’ve gone to several conferences and met a lot of people I now consider friends in the industry,” Holland said. In 2021, Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell presented the store with certificates of recognition to the Hardimans, as well as Holland. “Growing up there are places where they can come and it is special for them because they can get bubble gum, ice cream, sit in these chairs, and see the people in the uniforms. This is a historical preservation of those memories for people who grew up with those experiences,” McConnell said in 2021. “So, on behalf of the citizens of Vallejo, thank you for preserving this place, and without your hard work and dedication, it wouldn’t have happened. So thank you for doing what you have done because you have preserved something people care for, and for that I say thank you.” Nearly nine decades after it opened, the community is still coming in to get its fix. “We still have an overall great selection of chocolate, whether it’s the fudge or classics like the creams,” Holland said. “We have a Dubai Chocolate that everyone seems to love. Many people also come for the caramel apples, and our favorite ice cream seems to be the apple pie ice cream.” So what is Holland’s personal favorite? “The peanut butter fudge,” Holland said. “When I first came here before I owned the store, I tried that peanut butter fudge and I was sold.”.
https://www.thereporter.com/2025/11/22/liled-candy-kitchen-celebrates-89th-anniversary-in-style/
Liled Candy Kitchen celebrates 89th anniversary in style
