See’s Candy Store is a well-known and well-loved brand across America. The company is not only well-loved, but generally considered quite successful too, with world-famous investor Warren Buffett acquiring the company all the way back in 1972. However, in more recent news, the company decided to close one of its stores in Sunnyvale, California. The decision has left a lot of people in the neighborhood feeling sad, as they claim it’s like ‘losing a friend’. Let’s find out more.
The Beginning
See’s Candy Store was started all the way back in 1921 by Charles Alexander See when he opened the first store in Los Angeles, 135 Western Avenue North. In fact, that store still stands today and is fully operational. Within a few years of opening, the business already had a number of stores open around the Los Angeles area, proving that it was bound to be a success. For the most part, See’s focuses on chocolate-based products like creams, truffles, and bonbons.
Acquisition by Warren Buffett
The company did very well for itself, and by the early 70s, they were making a turnover of roughly $4 million a year, before taxes. This was a lot of money at the time, and See’s became a noteworthy investment opportunity for Warren Buffett. Buffett had a strategy that involved buying up cheaper, less successful businesses and flipping them (or upgrading them) to turn a profit. According to Buffett, See’s was the first ‘luxury brand’ he had ever acquired. Acquiring the company turned out to be a great investment.
Global Strategy
See’s saw major success in terms of the domestic American market. However, the company had also decided to focus its attention on the international market quite early on in its trajectory. During the 1960s, See’s had already opened business in Hong Kong. Business did very well, and during the early 90s, they decided to spread to other countries globally, like Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, Taiwan, and China. See’s has become a well-known brand not only in America, but across the world.
Much Love
See’s has become a popular brand back in the United States, with a large and loyal customer base that loves to support the company year-round. The company has a steady stream of business year-round; however, they have stated that they tend to get a higher influx of customers on public holidays or around the holiday time, as gift shoppers love to frequent them for tasty gifts. So it came as a surprise when one of their branches in Sunnyvale, California, decided to close up shop.
The Closing
While the company as a whole seems to still be doing very well financially, a recent announcement from a See’s branch in Sunnyvale, California, that it was closing had customers and long-time fans of the brand worried. People who enjoy See’s tend to stick with them for a long time as they know the product, love the packaging, and enjoy the various services that the company has to offer. Let’s take a look at why this store decided to close and what it could mean for See’s fans in the future.
Saying Goodbye
The company was surprisingly mute about the reason for closing the store, which had been open for more than 30 years. They declined to comment to media outlets about the closure, leaving many in the dark as to why they had to shutter their doors. Some speculate as to the store’s profitability, or perhaps there’s some other, strategic reason involved. For now, the public’s guess is as good as any, which makes people wonder about the future of the business as a whole.
Still Healthy
While it may be disappointing that the store is closing, many noted that there are still lots of stores open and functioning well in the nearby area. In fact, there are a total of 11 stores in the Los Angeles area, and some are actually quite close to this one. So at least people won’t have to go far to get their candy, and at worst, they could always have it delivered. To date, the company doesn’t show any real signs of slowing down or shutting down more branches.
A Charitable Heart
The other reason so many people love See’s is that they’re known for being a strong supporter of charity and helping the local community. They’re frequently cited as reaching out and helping people or communities in need. In fact, back in the 80s, they sold over 27 million pounds of chocolate. According to reports, the company donated 80,000 pounds to charity! They also offer a fundraising program, Yum-raising, that allows people to sell See’s products in order to raise funds for their initiative.
Setting the Record Straight
See’s is also known for its daring and fun-filled record-setting. In fact, in 2012, Guinness World Records hailed See’s as having created the world’s largest lollipop! The massive piece of candy weighed over 7,000 pounds and was more than 4 feet long and over 3 feet wide. The massive piece of candy was the combined size of over 145,000 normal-sized lollipops. It proves that See’s believes fun and candy go hand in hand!
Pop-culture History
See’s is more than just a store loved for its candy. During the early 60s, famous singer and performer Cher was actually working at See’s when she met Sonny Bono. If it weren’t for that chance encounter and meetup, we likely never would have known who she was today. The show also featured on a famous TV show back in the 50s called ‘I Love Lucy’. The episode showcased women in the workplace and has been hailed as a landmark in the world of TV and entertainment, especially for the era where that was still rare.
A Bright Horizon
While it might be sad that See’s is closing a store in Sunnyvale, the future of the company still looks as bright as ever. While there are no talks about it yet, there’s a possibility the company might open another store in the area sometime soon, or at least close enough to make the distance of walking or travel not seem so bad. But the likelihood that See’s will still be around for a long time is quite high, so don’t worry about missing out on your chocolate fix!