I've missed you.

Editor's Note: When I started this blog fourteen years ago I was working fulltime as a daily newspaper reporter and just helping out the family business during holiday rushes and doing a little marketing here and there.

Today, alongside my Bonus Mom Tracy Anderson, I run Anderson's Candy Shop. 

After some time away from writing, I am more ready than ever to bring you Chocolate Chat. 

Hi, I'm Katie Anderson-Tedder. Part of the fourth-generation of candymakers at Anderson's Candy Shop; and I'm finally ready to be here with you.

You may have noticed over the summer we have been quiet online. We haven't sent any e-newsletters or posted much on social media. 

That's because Britta, who had been handling most of those duties since 2021, moved away.

And I needed time to figure how to juggle all of the balls in my life.

I wear many hats at the shop from production manager to retail worker. I also order, schedule, and market, and well... the list goes on both here and at home - with our three children ages 6, 4 and 2. (My wonderful husband Adam Tedder is the best teammate in life! 😉)

But part of running a successful business is not hiding it under a bushel. And it is really important that I make time to share our light here at Anderson's.

So I am adding Voice and Face of Anderson's to my job description.

For the last decade you've read my writing - as a ghost writer for my father Leif on marketing materials like our newsletter; and as a guiding hand for Britta Lea on the blog.

But being the voice and face of Anderson's was always my Dad's job.

Leif Anderson, was our figurehead (literally his caricature is on our homepage). 

His warmth, sincerity, humor and generosity are woven into the fabric of our brand and helped connect us with legions of customers for four decades.

When he passed in 2021, veteran manager and friend Britta offered to help fill the void.

She did an amazing job bringing her own wit, style and viewpoint to all of you for several years. She produced newsletters, social media posts and entries here.

With losing Dad, her help was crucial as Tracy and I needed every minute we had to run the shop, absorb Leif's duties in management and production - and were grieving on top of that.

But early this summer, Britta was offered a great life opportunity and left. (Now I'm grieving her loss too. At least we can still text.)

Her departure meant it was time for ME to reconcile how to do "Dad's" job and connect Anderson's Candy Shop with all of you. 

So, too busy or not. Grieving or not. The way Leif would do it. Or not. 

We have 22 employees who deserve to have someone connecting them to all of you.

We have 105 years of fascinating history that needs to be shared.

We have struggles you can learn from, and triumphs you should celebrate with us.

And I can't imagine a world without Anderson's Candy Shop in it. 

So, here we go! 

We'll continue work toward the three goals I put forward back in 2010. Posts will  

• encourage dialogue between customers and the family at Anderson's.
  
• share stories -- happy and sad -- from the past 105+ years in the candy business.
  
• post information about store offerings and events

and it will broadcast here and on socials, through me.

Take care, Katie

P.S. 

If you need a brief re-cap of who I am in our 105-year line of Anderson's Candy Shop confectioners check out multi-page timeline here: timeline