close

5 Kidz Kandy to host holiday book signing

By Tim Neral, For The Greene County Messenger 4 min read

WAYNESBURG – Like most six-year-olds, Kristy Vliet liked candy. But even at that young age, she liked candy so much that she always dreamed of one day opening her own candy store.

However, that dream was not fulfilled right away. Vliet groomed animals for 20 years before she had to get a pacemaker two years ago. After that, she garnered a whole new appreciation for life and opened the candy store she always wanted.

“It’s a go-to happy place,” said Vliet of her store, 5 Kidz Kandy, located at 78 East High Street in Waynesburg. “If it amuses us, we order it and see if it amuses others.”

5 Kids Kandy now sells coffee, pretzels, ice cream, gift products, jewelry, toys, stuffed animals and books to the Waynesburg community.

“It’s a cute little town with millions of possibilities,” Vliet said. “We wanted to bring life back to Main Street.”

Now that she’s gotten to live her dream, Vlietkarsty is trying to help others make their dreams come true.

“We went to a show in January in Atlantic City called the Philadelphia National Candy Show,” Vliet said. “Three sisters had started out and were willing to come do a book signing for their book, ‘The Sugar Plum Tree.’ It was another way in aiding them in one of their bucket list ideas.”

“The Sugar Plum Tree” was originally a poem by Eugene Field, a poem that is over 100 years old.

“My grandfather used to recite this poem to us and our tradition was that there would be candy under our beds,” said Mary Louise Santacaterina, one of the authors of “The Sugar Plum Tree.” “It was always my sister Susan’s dream to get this out there.”

Santacaterina, Susan DeAngelis and Karen Lynch were already telling their story to their children’s friends and many more people wanted to hear their sugar-filled tale.

“Susan (DeAngelis) decided we should put it into a book,” Santacaterina explained. “It was organic. It just sort of happened. We didn’t expect it to get so big.”

Now, the sisters have their own publishing company, Lily Lu & TT2 Publishing. An illustrator from Canada, a web designer from Florida and a printer from Vermont was all it took, that and the sisters’ childhood adventure. “The Sugar Plum Tree” came out last year just before Halloween and has sold nearly 4,000 copies in the United States, Canada and England. They’ve also been contacted by candy companies looking to make candy based on the book.

In a way, it almost seems predetermined that the sisters’ story was meant to be spread to others. Santacaterina worked for a publishing company and had been a writer for many years. Her sister Susan is an elementary school teacher and her other sister Karen worked for JP Morgan. They all had one of the backgrounds needed to start a company centered around a children’s book.

“It’s a family company that has really brought us closer together,” Santacaterina said. “It really feels like this is a higher calling.”

Their publishing company’s mission is to help other people get their family traditions publicized and the sisters strive to help small businesses grow. They partner with candy stores and individual book stores.

“The Sugar Plum Tree” even has its own tagline: A special occasion bedtime story with sweet dreams and a candy twist.

Santacaterina will be signing copies of “The Sugar Plum Tree” at the 5 Kids Kandy store on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m.

Vliet said another book signing would be nice and there are a few events coming up. “Mom’s Shopping Night” has been going on for a few years now, an event where mothers fill out wish lists at stores and merchants help direct husbands where to go for their wives’ presents.

A “Snowball Fight” is also coming up as well, but not the usual kind. Patrons who spend a certain amount of money at the stores downtown will get a snowball, which can be used to enter a raffle.

For more information about 5 Kidz Kandy and the store’s upcoming events, including the book signing event on Saturday, call the store at 724-627-0552.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $4.79/week.

Subscribe Today