Our story since 1964
It started with
one batch.
Two friends, a $6,000 loan, and a dream that became a Michigan fudge tradition.
An unexpected beginning
No jobs. No money. One big idea.
Just before graduating from the University of Detroit, I decided to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. My recruiting interview began on November 23, 1963—the day news arrived that President Kennedy had been shot. The interview ended, and I was never called back.
Instead, a beer with my best friend Jim Garrahy, better known as “Mort,” at the Puppet Room in Grosse Pointe turned into a wild ride. We were two 22-year-olds still living at home, yet somehow we convinced the Small Business Administration to lend us $6,000. A dream was becoming real.
June 1, 1964 · Sault Ste. Marie
Opening the first shop was the easy part.
We built counters with my dad and our friends, ordered equipment, and brought the shop together. There was only one problem: neither Mort nor I had ever made a complete batch of fudge from start to finish. Mort had never even seen fudge being made.
I had stirred fudge on Mackinac Island, but I had never been allowed to cream, loaf, or shine a hand-stirred batch. So we coated the windows with Bon Ami to keep anyone from watching while we tested our technique.
“What? You’ve never made fudge?” Mort yelled. “No, I’ve only stirred fudge,” I admitted. “But I’m positive I can do it.”
Then, finally
We had maple fudge.
The early batches could either be drunk through a straw or used to build a house. Every failure added to the fear that we had missed some secret formula. Then it happened: a batch came out creamy and delicious. From that moment forward, it was smooth sailing.
A friendship that shaped the story
God bless Mort.
My good friend Mort passed away in 2012 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, after a long battle with cancer. Over his remarkable career, he helped establish 79 fudge shops around the world.
He left us with countless memories of an exceptional person—someone with an extraordinary sense of humor and a heart whose warmth was beyond imagination. His friendship will always be part of our story.
1964 and beyond
A Michigan tradition grows.
Fudge comes to Frankenmuth
We expanded to Frankenmuth, and for eight years I commuted 259 miles between the Soo and our new shop.
Making Frankenmuth home
Carol and I packed up the children and the dog and moved our family. Before long, we knew Frankenmuth was the place to be.
From Michigan to the Emmys
Frankenmuth Fudge was selected as the official fudge of the Emmy Awards—a proud moment for our entire fudge-making team.
The next generation
What began with Gary and Mort continues as a family business, with the same recipes, hand-crafted process, and commitment to quality.