Today the streets of downtown Franklin are often filled with shoppers who have made Franklin a destination spot. For those of us who grew up in Franklin and have seen the ebb and flow of downtown commerce, this revival is a welcome sight. New businesses popping up in existing buildings often evoke memories of long-gone iconic business of downtown Franklin.
Franklin Candy Kitchen, better known as Nick’s, is one of those businesses that comes to mind. For those who were teenagers in the ’40s and ’50’s, Nick’s was the place to be.
“When school let out each afternoon,
and sometimes just for kicks,
the sound rang clear through all the halls,
I’ll see you all at Nick’s.”
That excerpt is from a poem written by the late Bob Tranter Jr., a former employee, for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Candy Kitchen.
Nick Banos Sr. came to America from Greece sometime between 1916 and 1917 as a 17-year-old who could not speak English. He had a cousin who had opened a candy store in Martinsville, Indiana. Martinsville Candy Kitchen, now owned by another family, still operates using the same candy-making skills from its founder. Young Banos learned of a school in St. Louis where he could learn the skill of candy making and traveled there to learn what was to become his lifelong trade.
Banos opened his legendary candy store at 135 East Jefferson Street in 1922 after a serving time in the U.S. Army during World War I. He became attracted to Franklin because he loved sports, in an era when a high school basketball team defined Hoosier hysteria. That team, dubbed the Wonder Five, won the state championship three consecutive years from 1920 through 1922, and went on to win a national college championship for Franklin College in 1923.
Banos’ homemade candies, sodas, milkshakes and welcoming atmosphere drew in loyal customers. Nick Banos Jr. recalls his father being able to call his customers by name. As an immigrant, he was particularly attuned to all races, especially in a time of civil unrest. He made a point to accept anyone in his shop and make them feel welcome. Banos Jr. recalls his dad’s memory, saying that “he had a mind that was unbelievable. He could remember names and faces years later and even recall what drink they wanted to order.”
Unless you were there, it is hard to imagine a soda fountain shop so packed with young people that the fire marshal had to instruct the staff to count the customers, limiting the number inside at any one time. Often there was a queue outside hoping to enter and grab a booth, or snag a spot on a barstool at the soda fountain counter.
Franklin resident Harriet Beeler describes her memories of the Candy Kitchen days between 1957 and 1961. “I remember lots of fun and good times at Nick’s,” she says. “He always knew your name and I recall the dinging of the pinball machine bells. The jukebox was always playing, and it was the place to be after school and after ball games. It was a wonderful place to gather with friends and catch up on all the gossip. I recall the marshmallow Cokes and the vanilla and chocolate Cokes too, along with the toasted ham salad sandwiches. Nick would not stand for any foul language or unruly behavior. It was a great gathering place to stay out of trouble.”
Despite the introduction of fast-food restaurants and the popularity of drive-ins, Nick’s still drew in loyal customers. Two 1974 Franklin Community High School graduates comment on their memories of the Candy Kitchen.
“I spent hours in there with the pinball and jukebox machines,” says Frank Paris of New Whiteland. “I had great conversations with [Nick]. I remember he was always reading a Greek newspaper. He knew and remembered my parents’ names from the ’50s when they would go in there and hang out. If I didn’t have any money for lunch, he always told me to pay him later. He was a very generous man.”
“Nick was a great man,” says Mindy Mitchell of Franklin. “He always called me by name and knew my order. In the wintertime I always got a vanilla Coke, and in the summertime, Nick’s fresh-squeezed lemonade. It could not be beaten. I worked down the street and would stop every day. His candy canes were the best.”
Banos Jr. has fond memories of growing up at the Candy Kitchen. As a young boy, he
was in awe of the teenagers who worked and spent time there. As a student at Payne School, he would walk to the shop during his lunch hour. In those days there were no cafeterias in schools. He would venture over and have a sandwich and then help his father in the shop until it was time to return to school.
Because the shop was a functioning restaurant and soda fountain, Banos Sr. would make the candies after the shop closed at night. Vanilla taffy, peanut brittle, cinnamon rolls, pecan rolls, divinity, sea foams, and chocolate-dipped cherries and truffles were a few of the varieties offered. The candy canes, however, were a fan favorite. “He never saw a recipe for the candies,” says Banos Jr. Along with the specialty candies, his father made the soda flavorings by hand as well. The process of making candy canes is difficult and takes a special skill. Banos Jr. remembers his family spending every other weekend making candy canes during the holiday season with the Martinsville family shop. The popularity of the candy cane in December equaled long hours, with everyone in the family helping. This process was all handmade and involved a large copper kettle, a marble table, a special heated table and skilled craftsmanship.
About the time Banos Jr. thought he might be interested in a career in the candy-making trade, his father sat him down and talked to him about the demanding hours of owning the candy store. He reminded him that it was a seven-days-per-week job, and although he never said not to do it, he discouraged it. Banos Jr. went on to pursue a career in education and administration. Banos Jr. credits his father for teaching him how to interact with people. Today he and his wife, Paige, still hand out homemade candy canes to friends and family during the Christmas season, continuing a longtime family tradition.
The Franklin Candy Kitchen closed in 1983, but memories still circulate throughout the city with fond memories for residents. For those who would like one more trip down memory lane, the Johnson County Museum of History has a wonderful display of Nick’s Candy Kitchen, complete with photos and actual artifacts from the shop.
