I-69 Heritage Corridor - Madison County
DeKalb Cty -- Coney
-- Hochstettler
-- Houser
-- Minard
-- Myers
-- Placencia
-- Riser
-- Waterloo jam session
-- Sarasien
-- Sechler
-- Stackhouse
-- Rowe
Grant Cty -- Adkins
-- Butler
-- Petro
-- Neuhouser
-- Garage pickers
-- Cox
-- Hoke
-- Cash
-- Powers
Hamilton Cty -- Bundy
-- Davis
-- Day
-- Gordon
-- Cricket players
-- Dr. Bomie Han
-- Gerald Terry
-- Bobbie Kauffman
Delaware Cty -- Jackson
-- Doris Jean Coil
-- Ronald Davis
-- John Zile
-- Ken Shipley
-- Atchade
-- Roberts
Allen Cty -- Mowry
-- Zehner
-- Bozarth
-- Cynar
-- Lengacher
-- Gorman
-- Hollman
-- Patria Smith
-- Penny Myers
-- Rugsaken
Madison Cty -- Spencer
-- Joe Rice
-- Theoharris
-- Carol Ball
-- Greg Adams
Huntington Cty -- Enyeart
-- Glessner
-- Alice Stickler
-- Company Singers
-- Dick Hinton
-- Goldenberg
-- Jay Peters
-- Gil Shideler
Henry Cty -- Bennett
Junie Theoharris displays a box of her fine handcrafted chocolates at Venus Chocolate Shop in Elwood. Her personal favorites include the maple cream clusters. The appearance of the chocolate is of utmost importance: “It has to appeal to your eye, before you put it in your mouth.”
Photo by Jon Kay
Junie Theoharris -- Chocolatier
Junie Theoharris makes specialty hand-dipped chocolates following more than eighty years of family tradition. Her father emigrated from Greece when he was 13, settling in Nebraska, where he learned to make candy while working for an uncle. After marrying, Junie’s parents moved to Anderson, Indiana, where they opened the Venus Chocolate Shop in the mid-1920’s. Junie helped in their shop until 1956, when she took over a restaurant in Elwood and started a candy counter. In 1974, due to popular demand, Junie opened her own chocolate shop (of the same name) in Elwood, using her family’s recipes.
Listen
to Junie describe how she mastered the trade by observing her parents at work, and dipping on her own.
Dipping by hand is an art, Junie informs. The technique is not easy to learn. You have to understand “the feel” of the chocolate – how to gauge the temperature, and how to handle it without creating a mess. Each piece passes through several stages before going on display. Few newcomers realize that “there’s a lot of work to one piece of candy.”
Junie emphasizes the quality and appearance of her chocolates. She won’t box a piece of chocolate that’s cloudy or cracked – it has to be fresh and shiny. Nor will she use preservatives or artificial flavors.
Listen
to Junie compare making two kinds of chocolate candies.
Although she’s officially retired, Junie loves interacting with her community in her chocolate shop. It’s part of her reputation: “I had one gentleman tell me, ‘You just can’t go everywhere [that] when you walk into a business, they ask how your kids are by name.’” Although she is the last in the family to learn the candy making art, Junie isn’t worried; she plans on providing chocolate for her loyal customers for years to come.
Listen to Junie:
Describe how she mastered the trade
(transcript)
Describe types of candy
(transcript)