LOGAN-Life at Blue Bird Candy Co. is a busy place leading up to Valentines Day, people going in and out of the store buying candy as an expression on love.
When Lonnie Anderson the professed King of Valentines Day, his wife and his entourage walk it to the store located 75 W. Center Street things got really crazy. They even had a red carpet for him ad his wife to walk on as they entered the store.
The Albuquerque, NM resident was coined the King of Valentines Day. He got his title for coming up with creative inexpensive and outlandish ways to show affection to his wife, Anne on Valentines Day. He said he’s been doing it for 30 years.
The entourage was mostly journalists possibly looking for a Valentines story. Video and still camera operators followed Anderson and his wife Anne as they walked into the store and the tour that came after.
Even Justin Hamiliton, owner of the candy making factory, came by to give the Andersons a tour and tell the history of the place that began making chocolates as early as 1914.
“Some of these people have been working here a long time,” he said. “Teresa Varner over there dipping raspberries has been working her for 30 years and her mother worked here for 47 years.”
All the candy begins in the backroom he told the crowd. They use the same copper kettles they have used since the beginning.
Nora Lopez was covering cinnamon hearts in chocolate on a conveyer system.
“I’ve been working here four years,” she said. “I like working it here.”
Michael Bingham of Jump the Mood Studio had the people with disabilities he works with make huge hart shaped medallion like the ones they make at Christmas time. The large heart has Anne in large white letter in it. There I also a bunch of hearts decorated to go along with the big one. It filled a window of Blue Bird Candy Co.
Valentine’s hearts were everywhere in the windows of the store with names and sayings on them. Bigham also designed a trophy for him to carry with him.
Bigham went to a lecture given by Anderson a few years ago and he took notes and the artist said something that he said stuck with him.
“Live your life so it makes an interesting story,” Bingham recalled. “That struck a chord with me and I wrote it down.”
Over time Bigham and Anderson became friends through social media and thought about collaborating one of his Valentines spectaculars.
“He came down here and saw the Christmas Medallions in the window,” Bigham said. “He was impressed and that’s where the large hart shaped made with candy came from.”
Bingham said Anderson has a positive message about love and how it can change the world.
Anderson works at a nonprofit that helps at-risk youth and he felt like a lot of bad things were happening in the news and Anne inspired me to spread love around the world.
Anderson has been on local and national television programs spreading his message.
Bigham also designed a trophy made from candy for him with the inscription “King and Queen Valentines Day Champions of Love.”