If Kelly and Grant Garafalo are awake, chances are you'll find them making soft butter caramels or chocolate truffles in their University Place kitchen.
"It is a caramel like your grandmother used to make," said Grant Garafalo. "It's the caramel my grandmother did make, and that's really what the difference is."
How busy are they at Old Town Delights?
"Can I swear?" asked Kelly Garafalo. "It has been really busy."
It's a sweet success story that came from a pretty big scare. Five years ago, Kelly was diagnosed with melanoma.
"Skin cancer is a pretty scary thing," she said.
"Any time they would do a biopsy on one of her arms or legs or whatever she was convinced it was time to go buy the coffin," said Grant.
It was during one of those down moments that Kelly had a memorable conversation with her aunt.
"I was trying to figure out who was ever going to remember me and my aunt said to me one day no one is going to remember you for a clean house but they are going to remember you for really good piece of candy."
Must have been pretty solid advice.
Grant now works full-time making batches of caramel. When accountant Kelly isn’t at work, she’s wrapping candy week nights and weekends.
"Hashtag 'LetMeQuitMyDayJob'," she laughed.
Every single piece of candy is wrapped by hand.
"Yeah, the first 10,000 are the hardest," joked Grant.
They are both aware there is such a thing as automation.
"Oh there is some beautiful machinery out there," said Kelly. "Some beautiful machinery out there."
But there's something beautiful happening right here, too. Kelly hasn't had another melanoma scare in years and Grant can't think of anyone he'd rather be packing candy with.
"It's nice," he said. "She is the love of my life."
At Old Town Delights things just don't get any sweeter.
Old Town Delights has gift baskets. They are offering free shipping November and December or find them at retail locations in the Puget Sound area.
This story idea comes from our partners at South Sound Magazine.
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