Judson Candy Factory

At the request of a couple that attended my First Friday showing last night, on the way home I stopped by the Judson Candy Factory lofts to take a few shots of the complex at night.

From the sweetcityliving website:

"In 1899, E.J. Jenner opened Jenner Manufacturing Company on St. Mary's Street. Mr. Jenner made hard stick candies, peanut brittles, and 5 cent fudge bars.

About 1920, J.W. Judson's bought part ownership of the company and constructed a new factory on part of the old Judson's Ranch, which is now South Flores Street. In the 30's Judson's added a starch department and started manufacturing candies with jelly and creme centers such as fruit drops, orange slices, jelly beans, and easter eggs. Mr. Judson's started experimenting, trying to make a more tart jelly bean, and ended up inventing the "sour", one of the company's most popular items.

In 1941 J.W. Judson's sons purchased the company from Mr. Jenner and in 1945 changed the name to Judson's Candies. Mr. Judson's son George Jr. then invented another popular item, the chewy praline. Pralines used to be prepared by scooping the batter with an ice cream scooper, however that process was mechanized using an electronic depositor developed by Southwest Research Institute.

In 1965 Judson's Candies was purchased by the Pearl Brewing Company, which was then purchased by Southdown, Inc. In July 1983, Judson's Candies was purchased by Basil Atkinson Sr., Dr. Basil Atkinson Jr., and the family, and renamed Judson-Atkinson Candies. In 1998, the company moved from South Flores to its present location on Dividend."

It looks like a really interesting place to live, and is very close to the Riverwalk, King William District, and other attractions downtown, and the prices for the lofts look quite reasonable as well. I'm glad that it was suggested that I take this photo, I am very pleased with how it came out!

Judson Candy Factory