by Denise Bootsma (Author)
The "Sweetest Corner in Town" has been in operation since 1912, when Lee Glatz and his wife founded Glatz Candies and Luncheonette. Mr. Glatz was one of the city's most popular businessmen, and their shop was very successful. Their recipe for Candy Canes and their slow cooking method set them apart from all others. Using copper kettles over open flame to cook and wooden paddles to stir the ingredients, it was a unique process. Once their recipe was brought to just the right temperature, they poured the raw candy on "cooling tables" that were once used as classroom blackboards from the original Jefferson High School on Ninth Street in Lafayette, Indiana. In 1917, Ivey McCord began working for Mr. and Mrs. Glatz. Lee Glatz died unexpectedly in 1928, so Mrs. Glatz assumed ownership, becoming one of the very few women who owned businesses at the time. She continued running her shop until 1947, when she sold to Ivey. It was at this time the name of the establishment was changed to McCord Candies and Jack McCord partnered with his brother Ivey. By 1949, McCord Candies became a family business as Kenny McCord joined Ivey and Jack. The McCord family continued working together until 1984, and McCord's has been sold and operated by several families since. Ken and Denise Bootsma are the current owners having purchased the beloved sweet spot June, 2017.