Beloved Tuscola chocolate shop facing unforeseen repair work, asking for community support
TUSCOLA, Ill. (WCIA) — Flesor’s candy kitchen sits in a more than 100 year-old building and now its age is starting to show.
Owner Devon Flesor said she knew the building needed some maintenance. It was after repairs started she realized to what extent. Now, Flesor said the bill is too steep and she’s reaching out for help.
“It’s good that we know that it’s in terrible shape,” she said. “Are we happy about it? No. Can we afford it? No. But it’s the right thing to do to fix it. We’re not going to ignore it.”
The building that houses Flesor’s Candy Kitchen needs some major repairs. Flesor is a third-generation owner. She hopes to someday pass the business along to her son.
“It’s really my home,” Flesor’s son Paul Nau said. “I mean, in so many ways, I’ve spent more time in this building than I have in any home I’ve lived in.”
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Last year, Flesor got a grant to fix up the building’s facade. After work started, they realized the extent of damage done by more than 100 years of history.
“The reason we applied for the money for that is because we really had a problem with rotten wood and leaky windows, that kind of thing. And we thought, ‘Oh, $40,000, that’ll take care of it.'”
Now, Flesor says they are looking for $250,000 to take care of it, an amount she said they can’t afford.
The building needs structural and brick work. Flesor said there are multiple walls behind the facade hiding decades of problems needing to be fixed.
Manager Sarah Wasilowski decided to reach out to the community because without the means to fix those problems the shop wouldn’t last another generation. So, she started a GoFundMe.
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“I don’t want to say it was like, you know, a last resort thing,” Wasilowski said, “But it was definitely something that I was confident in that we should do because I knew how supportive people would be.”
Wasilowski has been in and around the candy kitchen since she was young. She worked there in high school and college. She was also married and had children during her time at the shop.
“I know I would love to see it stay open for many years to come and I think it’s a great part of history and obviously brings many people to the school,” Wasilowski said.
Flesor said the building is safe right now, but some of the sidewalk near the restaurant is taped off out of caution, and customers are being asked to use the side door.
You can donate to Flesor’s Go Fund Me account here.
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