Indies Only: Mamie's Toffee Finds Sweet Road to Success

Mamie’s Toffee & Treats was started to catch up on a few missed mortgage payments. With the support of the community, the sweet treat quickly changed the lives of owners Pam and Ernie Bolen.

In November 2010, Ernie Bolen was six months out of work. The Bolen’s car was totaled in an accident. They were behind on their mortgage and the bank was threatening foreclosure. It was just one thing after another, said Ernie's wife, Pam.

She was overwhelmed and prayed for a solution, and Pam believes God answered her prayer by suggesting she make toffee.

“Every year I make toffee at the holidays. One year I made raspberry jam instead and everyone missed the toffee,” she said. “We found $600, which buys a lot of butter. The pieces just fell together. In 24-48 hours everything was in place. The Knights of Columbus even let us use their kitchen at no cost.”

The Friday before Thanksgiving, the Bolen’s very humbly sent a letter to all their contacts. They honestly told their story and asked that people buy their toffee, share the email and/or pray for them. Their goal was to sell 150 orders of toffee at $20 per pound.

“We were flabbergasted by the support and understanding of our friends and family,” said Bolen. “Sales took off like crazy and we were blown away by generosity.”

By Christmas day, more than 300 boxes of Mamie’s Toffee were sold, doubling their initial goal. Pam had approached the venture as a one-time income fix. However, she followed customers’ suggestions and tried selling at craft fairs.

By spring, Mamie’s was sold every weekend at craft fairs and the summer brought steady farmer’s markets. Word of mouth led to more connections, Mamie’s was ordered as a corporate gift and the Bolens quickly outgrew their free kitchen space.

“We hope to own a store one day, but for now I am satisfied. I really need a vacation but I’d do it all over again,” said Pam, who also works full-time.

Angel Birr is one of the Bolen’s closest friends and has supported Mamie’s since the beginning. She often assists with cooking and packaging.

“Pam and Ernie are blue collar neighbors like you and me who are trying to make a living while creating quality, delicious candy for kids of all ages,” explained Birr. "I'm really proud of them and it is definitely a team effort that wouldn't work without both Pam and Ernie committed to the effort."

Birr said her favorite Mamie’s product is tiger butter, which she describes as “a rich, creamy mixture of peanut butter and chocolate with a surprise crunch.” A box of 16 pieces of tiger butter costs $8.

The Bolens sold toffee at Oswego’s 2011 Christmas Walk and formed a partnership with Rejoyce Design and Consign, who continues to carry Mamie’s products.

Mamie’s products now include: toffee in a variety of flavors, caramels, peanut brittle, cashew brittle, tiger butter, sugar-free options, and gluten free options. Bolen proudly states that the majority of the products are made with all natural ingredients.

“The community has given so much to us, we feel compelled to give back,” said Bolen. Mamie’s participates in many benefits and fundraisers for organizations such as Mutual Ground and the Sugar Grove Food Pantry.

Contact Mamie’s Toffee & Treats at 630-470-0718 or mamiestoffee@gmail.com

Orders can also be placed on their website.