Local Kittanning Candy Business Turns 80

by Olivia Wasilko

It’s been 80 years since Obade Candy Co. was founded along Kittanning’s South Jefferson Street in 1936. After three generations of running the small wholesale outlet, business is still strong for its workers.

“The business has changed a lot over the generations,” said co-owner Tom Nasser. “It is a tough business. Really tough. There’s lot of competition. And now you’ve got a lot of stores like the Sheetz (at the corner of Walnut and South Jefferson Street) that has its own warehouse. So they don’t need to purchase from people like us anymore.”

Tom and his brother John are who survives of the third-generation management. The store was passed on to them from their grandfather, then their father. And while being family-owned has its advantages, it’s not always easy for the company to keep up with larger competitors.

“Being a family-owned business, that makes it even harder for us. We don’t have the organizational structure that the big companies have. So we’re pretty much tied down with these businesses. It’s hard for us to do anything. And every business is different, but I think the whole business industry in this country, in general, is changing. If you’re not real big, you’re going to get knocked out. And that’s why you probably won’t see a fourth generation here. But the business has been good for me and my brother. The community has been very good to us. The Snyders in town, they buy from us. Almost every club and bar in town here buys from us.”

Obade sells bulk supplies to many of the restaurants in the area.

“We mostly sell cigarettes and tobacco products, candy, and paper supplies to the small, individually- owned convenience stores and grocery stores, clubs, bars, restaurants, things of that nature. Organizations, churches, that sort,” said Tom.

“We do have stuff for picnics and things like that, outdoor functions. We carry a lot of foam plates, paper plates, corrugated plates, napkins, cups of all kinds. Convenience type things. If you’re having a family reunion and you wanted table papers, we have that. You might want to buy plates and spoons and forks and we have all of those.”

That’s not all that Obade has to offer. Besides the shelves of tobacco products and e-cigarettes, the store is lined with rows of gum, Kit Kats, Skittles, Starburst, and Airheads candy. They also sell individual flavors of Laffy Taffy and Albert’s Fruit Chews. The next time you visit, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll see you favorite sweet treat.

 

Tom was reminded of how grateful he is for the supportive community when he realized how long the business has survived.

“We’ve been here a long time,” he said. “We’ve got really good employees. My employees have been here a long time. I’m very lucky and very happy. We have a nice community here. The people who own the businesses in this community are very nice people. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else, ever.”

Ford City Class of ’51 Held Monthly Meeting

by Olivia Wasilko

The Ford City High School graduating class of 1951 held its monthly luncheon at Nite Courts on Tuesdasy at noon. Several alumni attended along with their family and friends.

Edward Dentici, 84, and his wife Mary Lou, 83, have been married from nearly the time they got out of school.

“We’ve been married 61 years,” Edward said. “Can you believe that?”

The couple did not meet until they both attended Ford City in their freshman year. Mary Lou went to school in Manorville until eighth grade, and Edward went to one of the area’s Catholic elementary schools.

Mary Lou remembers the days before most students had access to public transportation. “I walked to school every day from Manorville. We didn’t ride the bus, we had to walk. I got the bus at 7:30 to get to school at 9. We even had to walk down at lunchtime. We had about an hour, but there was no cafeteria or anything in school.”

“There were two bus runs as far as I know,” Edward added. There was one from Cadogan and one down from Bethel area. That was it.”

Only when her father began teaching seventh grade math did Mary Lou have the luxury of riding in a car to school.

Everyone present at the reunion agreed that the 1950s were a much different time, considering all the changes that have taken place in the schools.

“Back in 1951 we didn’t have the drugs that they do now. Or as much alcohol. We didn’t have any problems in the school whatsoever.”

“The new school is very nice, though,” said Kittanning graduate Jim Thomas. “It’s a lot different in construction from what we had. I went to one of the basketball games and I enjoyed it there. Ford City had the best basketball team in the valley at one time. And the coach was one of the best coaches who lived around here at that time. His team always beat us at Kittanning.”

Sharing stories like this is exactly why the class of ’51 meets every month. Although their visitors have been few lately, they say it is worth gathering to share their friendship and memories.

“We get good and bad memories,” Thomas laughed. “But it was better than it is now, I think. That was in the good times.”

Any classmates, spouses, and friends are always welcome to join the meetings and share their memories.