Robitaille’s Fine Candies — a family-owned-and-operated business most well known for its chocolate “Presidential Inauguration Mints,” and a Carpinteria staple for more than 36 years — announced that it would be closing the Linden Avenue shop later this year, according to a statement from owners John and Tami Robitaille on Thursday, November 7.
Before the shop opened up in an old hardware store in Carpinteria on New Year’s Day of 1989, the Robitaille family had already been making batches of candy in Santa Barbara County. In 1985, when President Ronald Reagan was about to be inaugurated for his second term, the Robitaille family legend was cemented when their famous chocolate mint wafers were chosen as the “Official Mint of the 50th Presidential Inauguration.” The chocolates had been a tradition during every presidential inauguration since.
For the past 36 years, the shop has been a mainstay on Carpinteria’s main drag, with locals and tourists stopping in for their chocolate turtles, peanut caramel clusters, coconut stacks, and countless options of homemade fudge. Three generations of Robitailles have run the shop, with Carmen Robitaille passing it off to her son, John, who most recently ran the store with his wife, Tami. Their children Victoria, Elisabeth, and Alex have also worked in the family-run store over the years.
“When we first opened, we never imagined the overwhelming support, love and friendship that would come from this journey,” the family wrote in a message announcing the closure. “It has been a true privilege to watch generations grow up with us — to see kids who once ran in with sandy feet now bringing in their own little ones. Each smile, each laugh, each story has made our candy store feel like so much more than a business.”
The shop owners said they were “eternally grateful to have been part of so many of your family experiences and life memories over the years,” and thanked their loyal customers for involving the candy shop to be a part of their “engagements, weddings, baptisms, graduations, family reunions, vacations, and so many other special occasions.”
Now, the owners said, they are hoping to take the opportunity to “start spending more time making memories with our growing family.”
Within five hours of announcing the closure on social media, more than 50 people had shared their memories and support of the shop in the comments.“We will miss you so much. Our children and grandchildren have grown up with Robitaille’s,” one commenter wrote; “This was hard to hear, never in my life did I ever think these doors would close,” wrote another.
The closure — like some of their chocolates over the years — is bittersweet for the Robitaille family.
“It has been an absolute privilege being in business in downtown Carpinteria for 36 years, and making so many new friends who feel like family. We are especially thankful for all the locals who have worked for us, some experiencing their very first job and others keeping busy in their retirement years,” the family’s final message read.
‘To the Carpinteria community, we truly appreciate all of your support over the years and we look forward to seeing you around town,” the message continued. “Though it’s time for us to close our doors, we will carry these memories with us forever. Thank you for supporting us, for filling our shop with laughter and for being a part of our story.”
The shop will officially close its doors on December 1, 2024.