HR0647 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0647 LRB100 15168 MST 30043 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Pease's Candy, located in Springfield, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, In the early 1900s, Martin A. Pease Sr., a watch maker by trade, began making candies out of his Canton, Ohio home; and

WHEREAS, In 1917, Martin Pease moved to Bloomington and shortly thereafter went into the candy business full time, hawking his homemade caramels and chocolates to moviegoers at the Majestic Theater in Bloomington with his six sons; and

WHEREAS, When the Great Depression ravaged the nation, Martin Pease founded two more candy stores owned by his two youngest sons, one in Decatur and one in Springfield, because the single store in Bloomington could not support the whole family; and

WHEREAS, Martin Pease Jr., the youngest son of Martin Pease Sr., went to extraordinary efforts to keep the candy business afloat during the Great Depression, even eating leftover candy for dinner when sales were slow; and

WHEREAS, The business was eventually bought by Bob Flesher, Martin Pease Jr.'s nephew, and is now co-owned by Rob Flesher and Doug Anderson, who continue the proud tradition of quality and consistency set forth by Martin Pease, Sr. and continued in the family for four generations; and

WHEREAS, Pease's Candy continues to innovate in the marketplace, partnering with BUNN Gourmet, a Springfield-based company known worldwide for its home and commercial beverage products, to jointly open a store at 2941 Plaza Drive in Springfield; and

WHEREAS, The original Pease's still operates out of a storefront at 1701 South State Street and has established itself as a Springfield staple known throughout the Midwest for its confections, specialty candies, and chocolate shoes; and

WHEREAS, For the past 100 years, Pease's Candy has been a proud part of the Springfield community; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the 100th anniversary of Pease's Candy, and we wish it many more years of success; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the ownership and employees of Pease's Candy as a symbol of our respect and esteem.