Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Lammes Candies, an iconic candy company that has served sweet lovers for 141 years, has officially announced its closure.
This decision marks the end of one of Austin, Texas's oldest family-owned businesses, an integral part of local history.
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While the retail store in Round Rock has closed, the flagship store in Austin will remain open temporarily to provide a final opportunity for loyal customers.
Online sales will also continue while supplies last, giving fans a little time to enjoy their favorite candies.
Lammes Candies Vice President Lana Schmidt says the company is family-run, and she started working there when she was 12.
While the company has grown over the years, she says its core values remain the same.
“Our, you know, values are family and quality and great customer service,” Schmidt said. “So I think over the years we have not let that waver in that regard.”
The End of a Sweet Era for Lammes Candies
The Lames Candies retail store in Round Rock officially closed on April 24, 2026, marking the first step in the company's total closure.
This is one of six of seven locations that will cease operations permanently.
Other locations, such as Hillside Center and Lakeline Mall, have also previously closed their doors to loyal customers.
However, the Lames Candies flagship store at 5330 Airport Blvd. in Austin, which also serves as a production facility, will remain open "a little while longer," allowing consumers to purchase their favorite candy products before the company shuts down completely.
The exact closing date for this flagship store has not yet been announced.
Lammes Candies will also continue to sell its products online for an undetermined period.
Economic Pressures Behind Closure?
Over the years, Schmidt said, aging ownership and a series of challenges finally weighed heavily on the business.
From dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic to the 2022 tornado that damaged the company's facility in Round Rock, coupled with rising raw material and labor costs, he said, these factors led to the decision to close.
One crucial factor is the rise in cocoa prices, which peaked in the fourth quarter of 2025 and has remained high ever since.
This increase directly impacts candy production costs, given that cocoa is a key ingredient for many of their products.
“It is sad, but it's also ... look what we've accomplished. There's not very many businesses that can go five generations. Most family and operated businesses don't last that long,” Schmidt said.
“So, we're proud. We're proud of what we've done. The quality, the customer service that we've provided over the years."
The History of Lammes Candies
Lammes Candies has a rich and long history, standing as one of the oldest family businesses in Austin, Texas, since 1878.
Originally founded by William Wirt Lamme as the Red Front Candy Factory at 800 Congress Avenue in Austin, the business's journey was briefly halted when William Lamme lost his business in a poker game in 1885.
However, the business's legacy was saved by his son, David Turner Lamme, Sr., who came to Austin to pay off his father's gambling debts and took over the shop.
On July 10, 1885, Lames Candies officially reopened and has continued to be owned and operated by the Lamme family for generations.
One of the company's most iconic and best-selling products is the world-famous "Texas Chewie Pecan Praline," first created by David Lamme, Sr., in 1892 after seven years of recipe development.
The original recipe, which uses pecans, corn syrup, sugar, milk, butter, and salt, remains the same today.
Lamme Candies is also known for its "Longhorns," a caramel, pecan, and chocolate candy resembling a turtle.