Sweet Dreams!

Peggy Gray Candies of North Springfield has been a special treat for over 100 years, for kids from 1 to 92.

In 1922 Marguerite (Peggy) Holliday was a physical education teacher. She began losing her hearing however, which made it impossible to continue as a teacher. Though many people might have decided to just stay home, Peggy never missed a beat. She quickly shifted gears, and looked for a new career to help her family.   

She had always enjoyed making candy as a hobby, and began to think that a confectionary might be a great business. To get started, she purchased metal molds from Germany—and they are still used in the shop today!  

Her husband, William Holliday, did not think that Holliday Candies was a good name for the new company, which seems like an unusual take since holidays always bring a demand for candy. Nevertheless, she took his advice and decided to use her maiden name, Gray, instead. 

Though she was a novice entrepreneur, her company became so much more than supplemental income. When William later lost his paper manufacturing business, Peggy supported the whole family with her candy shop!  

She continued to work in the shop until the age of 93 and lived to be 99 years old. The business is now run by her grandson, Jon Holliday. The candy shop has three employees, including Ann Deist who has worked at the shop for 29 years. This is not the record for longevity, however. That honor goes to a woman named Alice Siders who started in the 1950s at 17 and worked until she was 81 years old in 2015. 

But who can blame employees for sticking around when the product is so good? The ingredients don’t resemble conventional candies you might find on the shelf at your local grocer. They use no high fructose syrups or chemicals—just simple ingredients with all-natural flavors. 

The biggest season for Peggy Gray Candies is on the horizon, with Easter quickly approaching. The Easter Bunny himself will make an appearance at the store on March 22, from 1 to 4 p.m. Every child will receive a treat, and parents can bring their phones or cameras for a picture with the holiday hare. 

One year-round seller for the shop is a thin mint, which Jon says is different than anyone else’s because it’s extremely thin and individually made and wrapped. 

This summer the shop will receive regular visits from kids who attend three different camps in the area. The camp employees take the kids there on Wagon Night, and about 30 of them will flood the shop. By scheduling a special time for the kids in the evening, it prevents the staff from becoming overwhelmed by a sudden rush. With more than 100 varieties of candy, there will be plenty to choose from. 

In addition to local camp kids and others from West County, the shop has many loyal visitors from the surrounding area—even from Pittsburgh—who love the confections and can taste the difference when candy is made in small batches with really good ingredients. Besides tasting good, they’re also little pieces of colorful art that make them even more fun. 

As for the future of Peggy Gray Candies, Jon says he is not going anywhere. “I don’t like to play golf. And I take good vacations every year.” Thank goodness he returns to make the candy! 

To see photos of the beautiful candy, visit the Facebook page at Peggy Gray Candies and Gifts. To taste it, you’ll just have to visit.