The wait's almost over -- here's when Clark Bars return

wpxi.com ^ | October 21, 2019 | Patty Tascarella

[RonnG]

Clark bars got a bad reputation many years ago when it was reported that they contained rat hairs and other residue. Haven’t eaten one since

[meatloaf]

I’m not impressed. Schlitz went back to the old recipe they abandoned in the early 70’s because some bean counter effed things up. I can’t find the new/old Schlitz anywhere.

[Army Air Corps]

It is out there. You usually have to go to one of the larger liquor stores to find it.

[BlueLancer]

Click on image ...

[Flaming Conservative]

Try the Snickers with almonds. It’s as close as you can get to a Mars Bar.

[Viking2002]

Yeah, we have Cracker Barrels around here. The store listing for AL also includes Circle K, and there’s one a mile from me. It could be that I’ve been looking right past them for the last two decades - I’m diabetic and generally don’t even glance at that section of stores anymore, unless it’s something like Atkin’s shakes and snacks. I came to discover that a lot of the old ‘nostalgia’ brands that were discontinued had the trademarks, recipes, etc. bought by other companies like Cadbury, and they make batches in limited amounts for distribution annually. And not always in the USA, either - a good bit of it may come from manufacturing plants overseas. There are places online like The Vermont Country Store and Old Time Candy who specialize in selling that sort of thing.

[Zionist Conspirator]

I didn't know they'd stopped making them.

I'm looking forward to tasting one since they changed the recipe for Butterfinger, one of the greatest candies of all time, so that it tastes like a block of salt.

[Viking2002]

Yeah, you could buy them in sheets or rolls! Google Hilltop Fruit Market Grantsville MD, Fruit Bowl Cumberland MD, and Farmer's Market Oakland MD, then click 'See photos'. Also check out all three on their Facebook page. All three are owned by the same family and have been in business since the late 50's. Each is about a 30 minute drive apart from each other, east to west. Over 900 kinds of candy, a lot of which you may have thought had long since disappeared. (Yes, they do have Mallo Cups, and I'm sure they'll get Clark Bars in.) When I get home for the holidays and I'm flying solo, I have to make sure that I at least hit The Fruit Bowl, lest I ruffle some feathers back down here.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Didn’t make it for Halloween, which in the candy business is an EPIC FAIL.

[Viking2002]

Remember Old German and Old Export beer?

[41Thunder]

WOW! I WANT A CLARK BAR!!!

[Viking2002]

My waist would be a size 50 and I'd go into a diabetic coma if I consumed a whole box. But I'd die with a smile on my face. 😁

[Buckeye McFrog]

When the original Clark Candy Co. started to fail in the 80’s local Democrats started pouring taxpayer money into it in an effort to save a few hundred union jobs.

This attracted the attention of a Mitt Romney-type venture capital guy who sniffed that out, sucked the company dry while it was getting public subsidies, then left it to die.

The recipe got sold to NECCO where that process more or less repeated itself.

[Buckeye McFrog]

You can still buy Old German in Pittsburgh. It’s one of the bargain brands produced by Pittsburgh Brewing.

[gnarledmaw]

I dont remember gatting any full size stuff...well, except for yhings from one odd house.

I think the person living there used to own a bar or do tavern snack distribution of some type. We would always get odd things there. The one that stands out in my mind best is a pressed saurkraut bar that used to be made by Frito Lay(?). I liked all the weird stuff I got yhere but I wss kind of a weird kid yhat way.

[Viking2002]

Yeah, it used to be brewed in Cumberland back in the day. Old German and Old Export were from the same vats, just with different labels. My late dad was a radio broadcaster and was working a stint as an ad layout guy for the local paper, and helped design the Old German label and Herman Ze German for the Queen City Brewing Co. Still tastes like it was brewed straight from the Potomac River sans filtering, but it's a taste of home with a family connection.

[READINABLUESTATE]

Wow! I looked at the Fruit Bowl pics. More candy than I have ever seen in one place. Pick me up a pack of candy cigarettes while your there. 😊

[meatloaf]

Not in my neck of the woods. I may have to drive to Wisconsin for old times sake.

[litehaus]

They’re a bit similar...

Yepper, when no Butterfingers were around I’d go for a Calrk Bar...

[SaveFerris]

Woohoo Clark Bars! And the others!