Austin, Texas — A beloved Texas candy tradition that appeared to be coming to an end is getting another chance. Lammes Candies, the 141-year-old Austin candy shop that announced its closure earlier this year, will return under new ownership just five months after the family-run business revealed plans to shut down.
The announcement came Tuesday, Sept. 29, when Craig Cavileer and Kayla Wilkie-Kinne of Delightful Development Co. confirmed they had acquired the historic candy business. The pair are known for their work reviving and redeveloping the Fort Worth Stockyards.
For longtime customers, the news means the recipes and traditions associated with one of Texas’ oldest candy makers will continue.
New Owners Promise to Preserve Lammes’ Legacy
Lammes Candies announced in April that it planned to close after more than a century in business, citing “shifts in the marketplace and the long-term sustainability of its operations.”
That decision appeared to mark the end of a remarkable Texas business story dating back to the 19th century.
Now, the new owners say they want to protect what made Lammes special rather than completely reinventing the brand.
“Our vision isn’t to change what Lammes Candies is known for,” Wilkie-Kinne said in a recent statement, according to Tribeza. “It’s to bring back the legacy recipes, traditions and heritage that made Lammes so special for 141 years.”
That approach could reassure longtime customers who feared that the closure would permanently end access to the company’s signature candies.
Lammes Candies Has Deep Austin Roots
The story of Lammes Candies began in 1885, when David T. Lamme Sr. founded the company in Austin, within walking distance of the Texas State Capitol.
A decade later, Lamme created what would become one of the company’s most recognizable products: its heavy pecan pralines. The candy was made using pecans from trees growing along the Colorado River, helping establish a distinctly Texas identity for the brand.
As the company grew, Lammes became known for more than its recipes. The business also developed recognizable visual elements that became part of its identity.
To help customers understand how the name was pronounced, the company eventually introduced its familiar lamb logo.
The Famous Neon Lamb Became an Austin Landmark
In 1956, Lammes opened its Airport Boulevard factory, complete with its now-famous neon lamb sign and striped candy cane pole.
Three generations of the Lamme family would go on to operate the business, helping transform the candy maker into a longtime Texas staple. The company continued evolving as new generations took over.
In 1965, third-generation owner David Lamme Teich retired from selling ice cream and shifted the business’ attention more heavily toward confections and specialty chocolates.
That change helped usher in another era of candy-making innovation.
From Longhorns to More Than 1,000 Confections
Lammes continued developing new recipes, eventually creating its famous Longhorn, a combination of pecans, chewy caramel and fine chocolate.
The company later established what became known as the Texas trio: Longhorn, Choc’Adillos and Cashew Critters. Its catalog continued expanding over the decades.
Eventually, Lammes offered more than 1,000 different confections, including taffies, brittle and divinity candies.
That extensive selection helped the company remain part of Texas food culture for generations, with customers returning for familiar treats and traditional recipes.
Baby Girl Found Wrapped in Blanket Inside L.A. Dumpster, 19-Year-Old Mother Arrested
Lammes Will Return Online First
Although the ownership change gives the historic candy company a new future, customers should not expect an immediate return to a traditional storefront.
For now, Lammes Candies will operate online, with preorders already available.
The company plans to begin delivering candy across the country on Nov. 1, giving customers outside Austin a chance to continue purchasing the brand’s signature treats.
Lammes candies will also become available through retail locations around Texas.
A permanent brick-and-mortar reopening has not yet been announced, leaving the future of the company’s physical Austin presence uncertain. Still, after 141 years, the story of Lammes Candies is no longer ending with a closure.
Instead, a historic Texas candy brand is entering a new chapter under new ownership while attempting to preserve the recipes, traditions and identity that helped make it an Austin institution.
Were you a longtime fan of Lammes Candies, or have you tried its famous Texas treats before? Share your memories or favorite Lammes candy in the comments.
