Object ID
1996.64.7
Object Name
Hot Fudge Warmer
Object Collection
CUPID CANDIES (is part of)
Date Created
1962 – 1996
Material
Metal
Object Entities
Candies, Cupid (owned by)
Stefanos, John (is related to)
Stefanos, Polychronis (is related to)
Access Points
Object Description
This is an electric hot fudge warmer.  It is metallic  and barrel shaped with a matching removable tin lid that is round with a black ball-shaped handle on top. There is a slot at the side for a ladle handle to stick out. The water basin inside is rusted and there's a hole at the bottom of it. There is a removable rim inside the top of the machine to support a ladle. The temperature dial is on front and has settings "off" and "serving". 'DELICIOUS HOT FUDGE' printed on the front above the dial in yellow letters with black background. Some of the paint has chipped away, but it's still legible. There is another label below the dial. It's white with some faded red ink around the outside with the faded lettering "STAR MANUFACTING COM"- the rest is torn off. On the white section of this label is more lettering "Helmco-La"- but the rest of that is torn off too. There is a label on back of the pot above the wiring which says "CLEAN DISPENSER DAILY" at the top half which is black lettering on a white background. The bottom half is a black background with yellow lettering which says "DO NOT PUT IN WATER" with "do not" bo underlined separately. This label is oval shaped. To the side of the wiring is a small blue label with a ring around it that says "NSF". There is manufacturing information at the bottom of the machine. The power cord sticks out the back of the machine, towards the bottom. There is cloth covering on three cords that protrude from the base, the cloth is frayed at the ends. There are areas of the black casing around the cord that seem to be corroded or showing signs of rust. There is a green piece of rubber sticking to one part. There is also a serial number printed along it. The power plug is 3-pronged. There is electrical tape around the area at the base of the prong and the other end of the prong near the base of the machine itself.
Origin
Cupid Candies is a small candy store and ice cream parlor chain owned by Polychronis "Paul" Stefanos Sr. and his family and based in the Chicago Land area. Their main manufacturer is on Western Avenue in Chicago. The company first began in 1963 on 63rd and Kedzie in Chicago and pride themselves on using the same candy making tools that they began with and that their candies and fillings are hand dipped and homemade; as well as using natural ingediants.
Paul Stefanos Sr. immigrated from a sheep farm in Southern Greece during the depression era. He married Pauline and they opened the first store together. Paul died in 2002 aorund the age of 100-102 (His family is unsure of his real age) of heart failure. Now his son, Paul Jr. one of 3 children owns the company. They have expanded from a few local shops to retailing hospitals and gift shops with their candies. John, another sibling of Paul Jr, also helped in the expanse of the company by developing private labels for others companies such as Crate and Barrel, Figi's and Golden Farm Candies. However, the number of store locations has deminished to three stores (as of 2007). They also began manufacuting of Macy's chocolates.
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Citation
Hot Fudge Warmer, 1962 – 1996, CUPID CANDIES, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/6631. Accessed 03/18/24.