Susan Hordych, owner of Suzi’s Sweet Shop in Middletown. Photo courtesy of Suzi’s Sweet Shop
Susan Hordych’s love for everything sweet began in high school. Working in a candy store showed her just how diverse the candy industry is, and doing something different every day was what made the job appealing. From there, the idea of opening her own chocolate and candy store became a goal she wanted to one day accomplish.
Her first job in a candy store wasn’t just where she fell in love with chocolate—it’s where she fell in love with her now husband, Stan, who was her boss’s friend. The candy-loving couple got married, and worked together to make Susan’s dream a reality, opening Suzi’s Sweet Shoppe in Middletown. Since 1998, the staff full of family at Suzi’s has pumped out chocolates, candies and other sweet treats, following their own recipes.
”We have our own special blend and all of our chocolates are hand-dipped,” said Hordych. “Everybody has their own jobs and we just do our business.”
With every product at Suzi’s being hand-dipped and housemade, there is no machinery used to make the thousands of orders each year, but that’s just how the Hordych family likes it. Orders come in from all over the country as people try to get their hands on some of the sweets. Classic treats like chocolate covered nuts and fudge are accompanied by more creative sweets, like chocolate covered bacon and dipped Twinkies. Suzi’s also utilizes custom candy molds, creating chocolate computers, cactus lollipops, and even hand-dipped wine bottles.
Suzi’s Sweet Shoppe is widely known for their gift baskets, which are in high demand during the era of Covid-19. With more people sending gifts to friends, family members, and coworkers, Suzi’s has ramped up their offerings, and gotten creative with their themes. Gift basket offerings include one for an at-home movie night ($59.99), with candy bars, caramel popcorn drizzled with white and milk chocolate, malt balls, chocolate raisins and chocolate peanuts, dipped licorice, two pretzel rods and two clapboard lollipops; the bright and colorful kid’s birthday basket ($49.99) features rock candy swizzle sticks, chocolate cupcake lollipops, cotton candy, among other celebrator creations. For the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday, send a bouquet of milk chocolate roses to a loved one.
Photo courtesy of Suzi’s Sweet Shop
With the sweetest day of the year coming up, Hordych and her staff have begun preparing for Valentine’s Day and the massive intake of orders they receive every year. Going into the New Year, it’s full speed ahead for Hordych and her staff as they prepare to be knee-deep in chocolate goodies.
“We go through tons of pretzels and strawberries,” said Hordych about her Valentine’s Day orders. “For three days, we do nothing but dip strawberries.”
Chocolate bears, fudge hearts and truffle boxes are just a few Valentine items being created at Suzi’s. Classics like chocolate-covered strawberries are dipped in assorted toppings like M&Ms, toffee, cookie crunch and peanut brittle crunch. The shop’s other popular Valentine’s Day item, chocolate dipped pretzels, come stuffed with peanut butter, chocolate melt, and cookie butter, and are topped with anything from rainbow sprinkles to Reese’s pieces.
Suzi’s Sweet Shoppe is located at 1100 Highway 35 in Middletown. Valentine’s Day orders can be made online and The shop will be closed for in-store shopping from February 11 to February 14 for social distancing reasons. Pre-order your gifts and pick them up curbside, or have them shipped anywhere in the U.S.