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Show i - i ' j ' Sam's -Candy now open at Five Points - , r' r ...... , k-.' fi,r lv tin, li " v f By CHERIE HL'BER There's a bright, colorful, new kiosk in the center aisle of Five Points Mall. Sam's Candy, which opened its original store in the Dick's Market shopping square in Centerville, is now also at Five Points. Many people will remember the story of Sam Francis, the 13-year-old who opened his own candy store a year ago. "No one would .hire a 13-year-old. So I had to become be-come my own boss." Sam is now 14 and a ninth grader at Judge Memorial. Despite the hours he spends on his business, he still has a 3.48 average. He's one of the area's youngest shopkeepers and certainly the most charming. Sam did a marketing survey be-ore be-ore he opened the first store. First he talked to his friends and asked their opinions on what kind of candy can-dy they would like to see the store sell. "I got their opinions and my own ideas of what kind of candy would be good." He also took time to survey what other stores were carrying and what they charged. Sam seems at ease running the two stores. He alternates his time between the stores and has hired other people to take care of the stores while he is in school. His previous work experience came from being a counselor during the summer at St. Anne's Camp in Logan Canyon. "I've been working work-ing with kids for awhile and that's where I got the ability to be comfortable com-fortable with the public," he says. The new store at the Five Points Mall carries much of the same selection as the Centerville store, including chocolates and taffy. At this point, the customers at the two locations seem to have different buying habits. At Five Points a great deal of bulk candy is sold. Perhaps the location in the middle of the mall near an entrance attracts a lot of impulse purchases. Certainly Sam's bright and cheery displays catch the public's attention. atten-tion. In the meantime, more and more of the sales at Sam's Candy in Cen- Sam Francis, owner of Sam's Candy Company, has opened his second store in Five Points Mall. The first store was opened a little over a year ago in Centerville. Each store features both traditional and unusual candies. More candy cases and display shelves were also added. While Sam has hired other people peo-ple to run the stores until school is out, Sam is at one store or the other after school each day. He also has another young employee Kelly Edwards, Ed-wards, 13, who works at the Centerville Cen-terville store. Kelly had to apply for a special variance to work because be-cause of her age. Sam, of course, understands the problems of finding find-ing a job when you are so young. The new labels on packages from the stores read, "Sam's Candy The Totally Unique Candy Store." and that's certainly the truth. that says "Wormest Wishes" also are a popular and inexpensive gift. Besides the variety of bulk candy, can-dy, Sam's carries an interesting selection of the kinds of unusual candies kids like for birthday parties. par-ties. Sam reports that one boy having hav-ing a birthday party with a sport theme bought candies that look like soccer balls as favors for this friends. Before the Five Points location opened, the Centerville location also expanded from about 400 feet of display area to almost 1000 feet. A lot of the new display area is for candy packaged in novel ways. terville center around gifts. Teenagers Teena-gers come in looking for special gifts for their friends. Sam and his staff can package a selection of candy, books and other items that can make a gift elegant, romantic or just plain funny. Their deft use of ribbon and cellophane paper or other special containers means that even the smallest gift will have that professional look. Sam points out that at both stores it is possible to buy much or as little of any candy that a customer custom-er selects. One of the hottest sellers has been Coke bottles filled with small candies like jelly beans. Boxes of candy worms with a tag |