Bel Air Candy Shop Gearing Up For Valentine's Day With Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

BEL AIR, MD — The holiday of love rolls around later this week and if you haven't grabbed some delicious candy or chocolates, be sure and pop by Wockenfuss Candies, which celebrates it's 110th anniversary this year.

The candy shop is a fourth generation business that's been family owned and operated since 1915, according to current owner Paul Wockenfuss. In 1885, Herman Charles Wockenfuss was just 10 years old when he arrived in America and eventually learned how to make candy. In 1945 when Wockenfuss' son, Herman Lee, returned from World War II, he and his wife, Marian, took over the business. The family credits Herman Lee with creating the signature homemade chocolate candies that the candy shop is known for. Their son, Paul, is the current owner and president of Wockenfuss Candies.

"We offer a wide assortment of chocolates, gourmet truffles and gummies, to name a few, as well as home decor and seasonal gifts," Wockenfuss told Patch. "We make all of our own chocolates on Harford Road in Baltimore City. Our customers always comment on how well this store is merchandised and what a great variety of gifts we sell."

The shop offers such delicacies as chocolate-covered strawberries, almond bark, chocolate-covered pretzels, almond butter crunch, cashew bark, s'mores pretzels, solid breakup chocolate, chocolate covered Oreos, nonpareils, milk chocolate-covered gummi bears, peanut butter cups, malted milk balls, chocolate-covered raisin and peanuts, bridge mix, chocolate-covered espresso beans, dark chocolate amaretto cordials, milk chocolate crab potato chip clusters, chocolate crabs, heavenly rocky road bars, chocolate filled seashells, different flavored caramel apples like oreo and peanut butter explosion, Carmallows, a variety of fudge flavors, dog treats, hard candies, Jelly Belly products, kids treats like milk chocolate cars and Cow Tales, licorice candies, assorted nuts, taffy and taffy pops, sugar-free candy and marzipan.

Wockenfuss Candies has seven locations in Maryland, including at The Mall in Columbia, and ships candies all across the country.

"While Bel Air is a large town, we love the charm and small-town feel," Wockenfuss said.

The Bel Air shop normally is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For the Valentine's Day holiday, the shop will be open Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Mall in Columbia location is located at 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway and open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

For more information, visit wockenfusscandies.com or stop by at 20 Fulford Ave., Bel Air.