“Caretaking” is the word Margie and Paul Lemay use to describe their new role as owners of Nelson’s Candy on Wilton’s Main Street. And they didn’t step lightly into this role, wanting to respect and maintain the tradition of quality candy making that began with Doug Nelson’s great-grandfather in 1914.

Some of the mainstays of the shop are the handmade candy canes, ribbon and specialty hard candy, fudge, caramels, saltwater taffy, turtles, peanut brittle and truffles, most made from recipes and techniques passed down through four generations of Nelson family candy-makers using the original candy-making machines. Even weighing the ingredients is done on a 100-year-old antique, hand-calibrated scales to make certain there are no alterations a digital weight may give a recipe.

When Margie and Paul moved to Wilton in 2019, Doug Nelson was still on the scene, passing on his knowledge and love of candy-making to a new owner, Nancy Feraco. They frequented the store under Nancy’s management, never imagining that one day they would step into the shoes she and Doug had filled. Although Nancy intended to run the store for many decades and see it well into its next 100 years, that was not to be when she fell ill and passed away – just as Doug did soon after selling the shop to Nancy.

When Nancy was unable to be at the store, Nelson’s was tended by a devoted team of candy-makers trained by both her and Doug. Nancy’s children wanted to make certain the Nelson’s tradition continued and looked for new owners dedicated to maintaining the original intent, recipes and even the equipment. The staff provided continuity during the transition and promised guidance to any new owners.

That’s when the Lemays stepped in and found guidance aplenty. To make certain they were cut  out for candy-making, they not just stepped, but dove in as volunteers, helping with all facets of the business. Margie described it as “putting on the training wheels” before actually taking over the business. This meant starting out behind the counter, getting to know the daily rhythm that melded creating candy with customer service and sales, watching the team in action working as a well-oiled machine, learning how to order product from a group of suppliers and even slowly learning the process of candy-making in all its forms from the original staff. They discovered that this was the right new step in their lives and intend to build the business just as those who had run Nelson’s in the past had dreamed.

To do this, the team that’s in place is important. Philip Lavergne was hired by Nancy and trained by Doug. He is now the head candy-maker, respecting and adept at using all the antique equipment passed down from Doug’s family. One of the things important to Phillip is his weather log book, kept to see how fudge-making reacts under various weather conditions. Another thing is keeping the old copper kettles in shape by cleaning them properly to retain their shining, unpitted surface.

Yes, candy-making is that complex when wishing to make a quality product. Even the recipes need deciphering. This is done by Philip, who was trained by Doug, who was in turn trained by several generations of Nelsons in decoding directions.  This was described to me by the Lemays when they asked Philip to show me what “three passes of salt” meant when it’s added to a batch of candy.

Another team member is Nellson Perry, who Margie describes as the “wizard of hard candy.” Among his other attributes, described by Philip, is his ability to explaining candy-making to adults and kids alike with a collected calmness, yet with an uniquely “Nellson energy.” He came to Wilton from California, where he worked for a large candy company on that coast. His intricate designs, planned ahead of time on paper, turn into one-of-a-kind millefiori-like hard candies.

She added, “And his ribbon candies look like satin with an added artisan’s color sense, making them stand out from others.”

Nellson is joined by the third full-time staff member, Tabatha Swett. She loves making chocolate pops, marshmallow creations and original works of candy art when not greeting customers and ringing up sales from behind the counter. She created a large, chocolate house that I watched go out the door into a customer’s hands the last time I visited the shop.

Others in the shop include Margo Hinspeter, who worked at Nelson’s during high school, went on to university and is now back working as a candy maker when studies allow. A few high school apprentices also help out, especially during busy weekends. One of them is high school senior Jasper Byrne. He joined the team in 2021 sweeping floors. He now has graduated to “candy sous-chef” with a candy that will soon be available, named after him, The Jasper, created from his own inspiration and refined when he teamed with Philip to add a few final touches.

Finally, Mark Nelson, Doug’s brother, stops in regularly to check on how things are going at the place where he once worked with his brother, and the Lemays are always happy to see him. He’s part of the tradition.

I was able to step behind the counters and observe the place where candy magic happens. I watched Margo make chocolate truffle cups to later be filled with various flavors and Nellson whip up some candy in one of the large copper kettles. Phillip had my full attention when he demonstrated how the individual antique burners, each with three heating spirals, can be delicately adjusted to create the proper temperature for each stage of the candy-making process.

Later, as I followed Margie to the back room that was once Nelson’s music venue, a favorite spot that hosted renowned blues and folk musicians, we began talking about future plans. She said, “We’re excited for the opportunity to move Nelson’s towards its next 100 years.” She continued to explain that they both want to maintain the tradition that had been in place for over a century while adding a few new choices. With several needed building updates and more time, Margie added, “One day there may be music again on Main Street.” Doug, a musician who loved the blues, would have liked that. And some of these musicians may come from behind the counter or burners to join in, since music and candy-making in Wilton seem to come as a package.