Maurie’s Candy & Cards

Maurie’s gets five stars from me for their caramel apples alone.
This shop that’s been around since the 1940s maintains a combination of newsstand, card shop and candy store.
The caramel apples are only available for a short time during each fall, and many times they run out during the day. The juice of the apples is almost fizzy, mixing wonderfully with the delicious creamy caramel that blankets the hefty apple. You can get them topped with nuts, but why mess up a good thing?
I have heard from a local that the caramel recipe is a closely-​guarded secret, but I can’t back that claim up.
This Christmas I received a gift of Maurie’s chocolates, and I can also say that those are delightful as well, especially some sort of peanut butter truffle I tried.

Been going to Maurie’s for as long as I can remember. Miss the old sign. Old Maurie was something special!
We can’t drive by when in town without my wife making me stop a few times. She loves the book and puzzle book selections. Of course we love the candy and caramel corn.
I was always addicted to hot rods and old cars. Maurie’s had all the latest «little pages» books and a few of those special «under the counter» books mom didn’t know about!

I grew up in Pekin and every visit includes Maurie’s!
Best fudge ever!
Jon Uditsky, Los Angeles

Lifelong friends from out of state came to visit me in Pekin. We ventured to my favorite candy and card store, Maurie’s, which I’ve visited for years. When I was young, the Mauries gave me samples of their new candy creations. Under new ownership, the shop (with the new brick front) maintains the tasty and wide variety of chocolates and candies. Along with a wide selection of freshly made chocolates, they have sugar-​free chocolates, gummies, pre-​packaged handfuls of chocolate trail mix, Valo-​milk, and a variety of classic hard candies.
I chose a 1 pound box and picked out my very own assortment, with Chocolate-​dipped Drief Apricots, Macadamia nut caramel chocolates, Pecan caramel chocolates, vanilla buttercreams, maple buttercreams, chocolate covered toffee, chocolate coconut treats… the list goes on! The kids were truly happy as kids in a candy store.
They also have magazines, lots and lots of magazines.
I asked about the classic Caramel apples that I remembered from years past, which are available during Marigold Festival season… in the beginning of September.
I do hope they will offer the variety of caramelcorn, which gave Maurie’s that distinctive «welcome home» smell upon opening the front door and provided a special treat while walking home. I’ve tasted similar flavors in new shops like KuKuRuZa in Seattle.
I love this place. I look forward to seeing the classic Maurie’s sign restored, so that locals and visitors can easily find this gem in Pekin.
Give yourself and a loved one a treat, and stop by Maurie’s on Court Street.