Once Upon a Time....on an old farm, nestled up a holler between Teter and Volga, in scenic, rural, West Virginia, lived the Xander family, consisting of Mom, Dad and two young daughters.

When the oldest daughter started First Grade, a group of parents decided that it would be great for the children to have access to computers in their small, country school. Some of the mothers noted that Easter was coming, and decided to make and sell Easter candy, and use the profits to buy computers for the school. Mother X participated, with the other mothers showing her the fundamentals of melting and molding chocolate. The primary product was a molded yellow duck, decorated with a top hat and cane to make a "Gentlemen Duck", or with an Easter hat to make a "Lady Duck". Other products made that year included peanut butter cups and the legendary "Chicken Face Sucker". The venture proved to be a success, and the school acquired two Apple IIe computers.

The next year, Father X was serving on a committee at the family church. The Elders of the church were trying to find a way to raise money to install a carillon in the steeple of the church to play inspirational music at specified times. Father X remembered the success of the Easter candy venture, and, without asking Mother X, volunteered her services. After several more months of melting and molding chocolate Easter candies, the funds were raised and the carillon was purchased and installed.

The following Christmas, Father X was looking for unique and special gifts to send to business clients and associates. Mother X decided that she could make fancy homemade chocolates and assemble a basket of chocolates that could be sent as gifts. The recipients were thrilled with the baskets, and the demand for Mother X's custom chocolate was evident. Everyone wanted some of those "Candies made by Linda", and so the name "Candies By Linda" seemed a natural.

Mother X, or Linda, a Registered Nurse by training (and still nursing part time today!), decided she liked making candy. She also discovered that she was quite good at it. She decided to continue her candy making, and to try and market her products. She started slowly, struggling at first with how to buy and where to buy her unique molds, ingredients and packaging materials. When she mastered those problems, she began expanding her original repertoire of Easter chocolates, and developed a line of custom chocolates for every season and holiday. From very fancy boxed truffles, to novelty items including the very popular "Chocolate Outhouse" (complete in every detail!), Candies by Linda does it all!

Today, "Candies by Linda" are marketed in 22 stores throughout West Virginia, from Morgantown to Huntington and Charleston, and at Tamarack, in Beckley. As the business has grown, new products and packaging techniques are continuously being developed. The latest product is custom printing (using edible food color as "ink") on chocolate. Virtually any image (color photos or text of any kind) that can be generated by a computer or with a scanner or digital camera can be printed on chocolate, including candy bars, suckers, or virtually any flat surface. These make great gifts, individually, or as part of a custom basket of chocolate delights.

Candies by Linda is still made in the kitchen (renovated and greatly improved!) of that same family farm. The two daughters are grown and gone, leaving Linda more time to devote to her business, which continues to grow.

And the Xander family continues to live happily ever after......