Iconic Rochester candy store gets new owners and an entirely new look

In November 2022, Stever’s Candies, which started in Rochester in 1946, got new owners, the first ones outside the Stever family.

John Vangellow bought the business with his father, Eric Vangellow, and having been fans of the store for many years, “Our main objective was to continue the Stever’s legacy with the quality of the product and the consistency,” John said.

Kevin Stever and his wife, Leslie — long at the helm after taking over the operation from Kevin’s parents, founders Doug and Hilda Stever — have been instrumental in the transition. Kevin worked full-time through Easter 2023, took a summer break, returned in September and expects to stay on through next Easter.

Most of the core team, including lead candymaker Jeff Brocht, remains on staff.

All of the confections continue to be handcrafted on-site from recipes originated by Doug Stever.

But during the past four months, the Stever’s space at 623 Park Ave., which the Stever family bought in 1960, has been completely remodeled.

The exterior of the 1911 Tudor-style building looks the same.

Inside, though, an interior wall with an archway that divided the front and back of the store is gone, replaced by wood support beams with a light oak finish.

A front staircase has been removed, and there are no longer aisles.

Also, no more yellow paint. Floor-to-ceiling cabinets, done in shades of cream and pink, have been installed, and new counters are topped with quartz slabs that resemble marble.

“It’s the same amount of space, but it feels a lot different,” said John Vangellow, who is managing day-to-day operations and previously was a program and product manager for security firm LenelS2.

The transformation, done by Steve Cullum, Nick Loson and Diane Bleier of Hanlon Architects, also includes bold light fixtures and black window casings that evoke the modern farmhouse style.

There are nods to history, including tin ceiling tiles over the cashier stations and black-and-white hexagon-tiled floors that at the store’s center spell out “Est. 1946.”

However, Park Avenue is a young area, and part of the thinking behind updating the shop’s look is to “market it to the younger generation that’s all around us,” said Vangellow, who is just 27 himself and lived in the neighborhood for five years until earlier this year, when he moved downtown. (Stever's also is more of a young person’s business because of the physical labor involved and long workweeks. Before selling, Kevin Stever said he typically put in 70 hours.)

The other objective is simply to give customers more space to move around.

“We just wanted to open up the store to create a better shopping experience, especially during busy holiday times” when lines form, Vangellow said.

Next year, Stever's will have outdoor space, too. A patio in front of the building and running along the Vassar Street side is in the works.

“Being outside in the summer is so important to Rochester and the Park Avenue scene,” said Vangellow, who with his father also owns Stuart’s Spices at 754 S. Clinton Ave.

He didn’t offer specifics on the overall investment but characterized it as “substantial.” Prices, meanwhile, remain the same as last year.

Stever’s also no longer will be on hiatus for the month of July. The idea is for people to see the business in a different light when the weather warms up, he said.

Plus, “Being open all year, we’ll be able to play around with some new candy and ideas in our non-holiday season,” said Vangellow, a 2014 graduate of Pittsford Mendon High School and a 2018 graduate of Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and health science.

Kevin Stever grew up in the store and started working there full-time after graduating from St. John Fisher College (now University) in 1979. So, the decision to sell wasn’t an easy one, but he and Leslie had a goal of retiring at 65, and they're both 66.

“It was kind of hard at first. Now, just sort of seeing the changes, I’m kind of accepting it,” he said.

“We all get to a certain age, and it’s hard to put in the time. But there’s nothing wrong with me, so I’m just trying to be as helpful as I can” to the Vangellows, he said.

The Stevers don’t plan to leave the area. “We like Rochester and have our home in Pittsford, so we’re kind of set up here,” Kevin said.

However, they do intend to travel, and naturally, their first trip will be to Belgium, widely regarded as the world’s chocolate capital, with some candy-industry friends.

Stever’s is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Said Vangellow: “I invite people to come check out and feel the difference. Once you’re in it, you get a sense of wow, it has changed.”

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @MarciaGreenwood.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Stever’s Candies in Rochester NY gets new owners and entirely new look