Mt. Holly Springs old candy plant transformed into auction house
Published May 8th, 2006
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Vacant for about six years, the former Pennsylvania Dutch Candy factory in Mt. Holly Springs is now an auction house.
Kasey and Clarelyn DeJesus of Gardners plan their first auction there on Saturday.
DeJesus, who has had a 22 1/2-year military career, learned his job at an area company wasn’t saved when he returned from an Army Reserve stint in Iraq.
After spending 10 months looking for full-time work, Clarelyn suggested Kasey, who had been working as a part-time auctioneer, do something that utilized his skills as a “people person.”
After lots of prayer and planning, the couple decided to open their own business.
With the help of friends, Richard Bowers and Clyde DeHart Sr., DeJesus renovated the building, which had served as Mt. Holly’s ice house before freezers became common in households and then was renovated into a candy factory in 1957.
DeJesus removed two partitions to make room for the lobby area, and fashioned an office, storage rooms and the auction gallery. The auction floor is 2,170 square feet.
