Hammond's Candies
“There are few things on earth can craft a sweet smile like old-time candy…stretching smiles from ear-to-ear on the young and old.”
Hammond's Candies is a sacred place. There are few things on earth that can craft a sweet smile like old-time candy, and for over a century, Hammond’s Candies has been a cherished part of holiday celebrations, stretching smiles from ear-to-ear on the young and old. From peppermint candy canes on Christmas trees to giant lollipops on a summer afternoon, their confections evoke sweet memories of festive gatherings and family traditions.
A young Carl Hammond traded in dreams of sugar plums for a candy-making apprenticeship in 1913, pausing only to serve in the U.S. Army during WWI. By 1920, Carl returned, finished his apprenticeship, and transformed his sugary dreams into reality when he opened Hammond’s Candy Company in Denver on Platte River Street. Here, he launched his first original candy, “Carl’s Piggy Back,” a chocolate and coconut covered delight. Hammond’s survived the Great Depression by embodying Carl’s slogan, “Nothing is more important than quality.”
By 1945, Carl added his son, Tom, and his wife, June, to the family business. Tom took over the business in 1966 and expanded factory operations, accelerating sales and opportunities. Then, in 1995, Williams-Sonoma featured Hammond’s hand-pulled lollipops, chocolate-covered toffee, and peppermint pillows, launching the humble candy company into international fame. The Hammond family sold the company, and growth has skyrocketed, yet it still maintains the feel of a family business.
Hammond’s Candies currently employs over 200 people, creates 5,000 lbs. of mouth-watering candy per day, and enchants over 100,000 visitors every year on their factory tours. The original hand-crafted recipes remain the same, with no two pieces ever being identical. Their most popular candy? The unpretentious red and white striped, peppermint candy cane. This holiday icon has adorned countless Christmas trees and sweetened celebrations since the factory’s nativity.
My wife, son, and I enjoyed the free tour of Hammond's Candies Factory and learned why this candy factory remains special. We discovered Hammond’s is the largest and oldest handmade candy company in America. Many of the hand-cranked machines used today are original to the factory and are no longer manufactured, making maintenance a bit sticky. Becoming a candy “chef” at Hammond’s is no simple feat: it requires a rigorous apprenticeship lasting anywhere from 6 months to 5 years, depending on the confection. Hammond’s has passed down the art of candy making to four generations of Coloradoans.
My favorite sweet secret from the tour was the hard candy rejects. Regardless of the flavor or color, they can be redeemed and fulfill their candymaker’s purpose. These misfits are tossed back into the 1920s era copper kettles with a new batch, cooked to 330° where any past imperfections are absolved, and are resurrected to new life! After our mouth-watering tour, we entered the candy store where we ogled dozens of candy types of all shapes and colors. We walked away with a candy cache and smiles as wide as the candy canes we saw being pulled that day.
Hammond’s is not just a candy factory—it’s a Mile High treasure, a living testimony to the art of old-time, hand-crafted confections. It is a glimpse of the Kingdom, igniting within our shared humanity something celebratory and magical. Hammond's Candies is a sacred place.
Chad Holladay is a renegade pastor whose parish is wherever he finds himself. He loves his family of 5, listening to and talking music with whoever is interested, and turning his yard into a nature preserve for our native wildlife.
Tour tip: If you decide to take the free tour, plan for early morning Monday-Thursday for the best opportunity to see the factory in its full operational glory. You can schedule a tour at hammondscandies.com.
