Decades old candy shop to close
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| Nick Corden is the son of a chocolate maker, who was the son of a chocolate maker. |
Corden's Candy Carousel, operated by three generations of chocolate makers, will close this year as Nick Corden, the son of a chocolate maker who was also the son of a chocolate maker, announced his upcoming retirement.
The distinctive shop on Michigan Avenue in Inkster offers a taste of tradition with the aroma of melting chocolate and unique candies permeating the air. Three generations of chocolate makers have owned and operated Corden's Candy during the 108 years the shop has been providing sweet memories for every holiday.
The business began with Sam Corden who arrived from Greece and opened a small shop in Detroit with his cousin, Gus. Together, they offered their candy treats to a growing group of dedicated customers. Eventually, Sam Corden's son, Evans Corden, continued the family business which had become a way of life. Evans, his family said, is considered the “true genius” of the business who they claim could “play with chocolate the way Mozart could play with music.”
Both in his shop and through his travels across the county, Evans Corden learned and developed techniques, finding new ways to work with chocolate that are still practiced in the candy making business today. As transportation changed, and agricultural products began making their way across the globe, Corden paired his hand-tempered chocolates with Michigan cherries, Jamaican rum, and California almonds. Everything else, like the caramel still made by hand in the shop, is prepared from his recipes, using his unique techniques.
Corden shared his love for chocolate and traditional candy making with his son, Nick Corden, who honed his skills under his father's eye and using his grandfather's tools. Corden moved the shop to the current location after 25 years of practicing law. He learned from his father who had learned from his father and uses the same ingredients and the same techniques that made Corden's the beloved tradition in many families.
Nick Corden has announced his retirement after Mother's Day this year, but said he will continue the family tradition and sell the famous chocolates online.
