New Lexington fudge store on Woodland Ave. offers 36 flavors and counting
A local fudge maker who built a following with pop-ups and online sales is opening a brick-and-mortar store.
Dahlhus Fudge, co-owned by Adam and Brittany Dahl, will open at 219 Woodland Ave. on April 10.
The shop will open in the former Missy’s Pie Shop storefront location, across from the current Missy’s Pie Shop, and less than a block from Maxwell Elementary School, where his daughter Lucy is enrolled.
“I think coming out of the pandemic people had to do something to keep themselves busy and explore their creativity, and I was lucky enough to have mine be accepted with open arms by Lexington,” said Adam Dahl, a former WLEX-18 digital ad salesman who also worked in restaurants for years. “I don’t make too many people unhappy, not in the candy business.”
Dahl said that he began making fudge about eight years ago for “Friendsgiving” and parties.
“And people really like it,” he said. “I started experimenting with different flavors and handed them out to people to try.”
That evolved into selling on Instagram and then the Lexington Farmers Market, and leasing space in the Pasta Garage commercial kitchen to produce more and more fudge. About two years ago he began adding more flavors. Such as Marilyn Monroe, with funfetti cake pieces and sprinkles, or Wildcat, made with blueberries and white chocolate for University of Kentucky fans.
“I’m now up to 36 flavors and counting and can make most of them vegan,” Dahl said. “I’m always coming up with new ideas.”
He said that because people are pretty familiar with peanut butter fudge already, his Snoopy made with smooth peanut butter and classic fudge is his most popular one. “If it holds up to expectations, they’re usually pretty impressed,” he said. “And then they try the birthday cake or the blueberry or the orange creamsicle.”
Dahl said many fudges are gluten-free and nut-free but he has not come up with a sugar-free version that he feels meets his standards yet, but he’s trying. Customers can place orders online or in person and custom orders can usually be ready the next day.
The menu changes monthly. “Having this store will allow me to have a lot more flavors readily available,” Dahl said.
“We were crazy lucky that this kind of fell into our lap. It’s a very community and family friendly area that we are very excited to be in.”
Dahlhus Fudge
Where: 219 Woodland Ave.
Hours: Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on Sunday
Call: 859-407-1244
Online: Dahlhusfudge.com
