Donley
Cross was a Shakespearean acter performing before audiences in San Francisco
in the early 1900s. During one performance, Cross fell off the stage,
injuring his back. The injury ended Cross's acting career so he looked
for other fields to conquer. In
partnership with Charlie Fox, Cross opened the Fox-Cross Candy Company
in Emeryville, across the bay from San Francisco in 1920 with a candy
bar called the Nu Chu. The
candy bar that made the company famous, however, wasn't launched until
1922. It was named after the dance craze in full swing at the time. It
was made of vanilla-flavored nougat covered with milk chocolate. The
chocolate and strawberry Charleston Chews were introduced in
1958. Charleston
Chews were one of the earliest candy bars to capitalize on the use of
the freezer in a home refrigerator. Many a Charleston Chews lover has
enjoyed their treat by freezing and then smacking it on a hard surface
to create many bite-sized pieces. The
shape of the bar has changed a bit over time but the delectable
ingredients taste just as great as they did over 80 years ago. Ownership
of the company has changed several times over the years. Today
Charleston Chews are made by the Tootsie Company. |
