>> HI BE EVERYBODY, I AM COMING TO YOU FROM MY OWN LIVING ROOM.

WELCOME TO "KENTUCKY LIFE" AN WE WILL VISIT A CANDY MAKER WHO HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.

ALSO WE WILL TRAVEL TO KNOTT COUNTY FOR A LOOK AT THE APPALACHAIN ART CENTER AND THE CRAFTSPEOPLE ARE SO WELL-KNOWN FOR.

ALSO, COFFEE AND CONVERSATION AT A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS THAT HAS BECOME A LEXINGTON ICON.

FIRST, IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS SINFULLY DELICIOUS, THE RICH COMBINATION OF CARAMEL AND MARSHMELLOW, A KENTUCKY ORIGINAL MADE BY THE SAME FAMILY THE SAME WAY FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.

>> THE MARSHMALLOW IS TRICKY.

YOU CAN LOOSE A LOSS, WASTE A LOT.

IT IS AFFECTED BY COLD AND HEAT.

YOU CAN LOOSE A BATCH OF CANDY IN SECONDS.

I HAVE BEEN IN CHARGE OF THIS COMPANY FOR 17 YEARS.

MY DAD PASSED AWAY FIVE YEARS AGO, LEAVING ME THE FOURTH GENERATION.

THE CANDY BUSINESS STARTED IN 1889 WITH MY GREAT GRANDFATHER IN LOUISVILLE.

SINCE THEN IT HAS PASSED ON TO MY GRANDFATHER, AND THEN MY FATHER.

WHEN WE LIVED IN LOUISVILLE, WE MADE ALL KINDS OF CHOCOLATES AND MAJESCAS, A WIDE VARIETY.

MY DAD KIND OF GOT TIRED OF THE CANDY BUSINESS, DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE.

HE SHUT THE DOORS AND THEY MOVED OUT TO A FARM.

AFTER A YEAR OR TWO OF AFTER A LOT OF LETTERS FROM CUSTOMERS, THEY WOULD MAKE A CANDY KITCHEN IN THE BASEMENT.

SO I GREW UP HAVING TO WRAP THE MAJESCA, THE SIGNATURE PIECE.

THE BUSINESS GREW A LITTLE AT A TIME.

MY DAD WASN'T FOND OF MAKING CANDY.

I SAID ONE DAY, WHY DON'T YOU LET ME COME DO THIS, AND THEN YOU GET TO GO BACK INTO RETIREMENT.

MARSHMALLOW IS NOT WHITE AFTER IT IS COOKED.

IT IS A BROWNISH LIQUID FROM THE MIXTURE.

THE MORE HEAT AND THE MORE AIR WE PUT IN, THE MORE WHITE IT WILL BECOME.

ONCE WE TAKE THE STARCH AND SHIFT IT AND PUT IT IN HERE, THIS IS WHERE THE MOLDS ARE.

IT PUTS AN IMPRINT IN OUR TRAY SO WE PUSH IT THROUGH THE DEPOSITER.

THE IMPRINT IS THERE AND THE MARSHMALLOW CREAM GOES INTO EACH HOLE.

OURS HAS TO BE A CERTAIN DENSITY, OTHERWISE IT WILL MELT WHEN YOU TRY TO DIP IT IN THE HOT CARAMEL.

THERE IS A LOT THAT GOES INTO THE MARSHMALLOW.

PIECE.

WE TRIED TO AUTOMATE THAT TO MAKE MORE MAJESCAS, AND WE HAD A MACHINE MADE FOR US.

IT JUST DIDN'T WORK.

IT IS THE HAND WORK THAT MAKES IT SO SPECIAL.

I AM ADAMANT ABOUT THAT.

I COULD AUTOMATE SOME OF IT BUT I DON'T WANT TO.

I WOULD RATHER HIRE MORE PEOPLE TO DO THE HAND WORK AND MAKE SURE THE QUALITY IS ALWAYS THERE.

THE NAME OF THE CANDY "MAJESCA" COMES FROM A POLISH ACCESS, HELENA MAJESCA.

IN 18383 SHE WAS TOURING DOING A PLAY IN LOUISVILLE.

AT THAT TIME ONE OF THE CANDY-MAKERS WENT TO SEE HER IN THAT PLAY.

HE FELL IN LOVE AND WAS ENAMORED BY HER.

HE TOOK HER A BOX OF CARE MEL MARSHMALLOWS, AND SHE WANTED HE WAND TO NAME THE CANDY AFTER HER.

HE STARTED CALL THEM THE MAJESCA.

HIS CANDY STORE BURNED DOWN IN 1947.

HE GAVE BOWER'S CANDY A VERBAL RIGHT SAYING YOUR CANDY IS THE CLOSEST IN TASTE TO OURS, PLEASE CARRY ON THE NAME OF MAJESCA WHICH IS WHEN WE CHANGED OURS FROM CARE MEL BISCUITS TO MAJESCAS.

I AM ADAMANT ABOUT NEVER CHANGING THE WAY WE DO THE CARAMELS, THE RICH AND THE CREAMY AND WONDERFULNESS.

THE REP PEE HAS BEEN THE SAME FOR 115 YEARS.

WE TOOK IS THE SAME AND HAND DIP AND HAND-WRAP EACH PIECE, AND WE HAND-PACK THEM.

THESE ARE THE MARSHMALLOWS WE MADE A FEW DAYS AGO.

THEY ARE READY TO DIP.

THIS IS THE HARDEST PART OF THIS JOB, I THINK.

IT IS VERY HARD TO GET YOUR SPEED UP TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH CARAMEL ON THE MARSHMALLOW, BUT NOT TOO MUCH.

WHEN NEW PEOPLE COME HERE, IT IS THE HARDEST PART FOR THEM TO LEARN AND TO MASTER.

EACH BATCH OF CANDY HERE, I THINK IT YIELDS 1200 PIECES OF CANDY.

WE WILL SOMETIMES DO 17 TO 19 BATCHES OF CANDY PER DAY.

WE DO HAVE JUST A SMALL LITTLE RETAIL OUTLET.

WE DO HAVE CUSTOMERS THAT COME IN PERIODICALLY.

MOST OF OUR BUSINESS IS DONE THROUGH MAIL-ORDER AND WHOLESALE BUSINESS.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE SUPPLYING ALL CRACKER BARREL RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

LAST YEAR DURING THE HOLIDAYS WE MADE 30,000 POUNDS OF CANDY OVER A TWO AND-A-HALF MONTH PERIOD.

THIS YEAR, WE ARE LOOKING AT OVER 50,000.

I HAVE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE BEEN ORDERING CANDY FOR 70-PLUS YEARS.

AND EVERY YEAR AT CHRISTMAS I WAIT FOR THOSE ORDERS BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD THAT THEY STILL ENJOY THE CANDY AND IT HAS BECOME SUCH A TRADITION IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS THAT IF THEY DON'T HAVE MAJESCAS, THEIR CHRISTMAS IS NOT COMPLETE.

SOMETIMES I CAN WALK INTO THE BUILDING AND THE SMELL THAT COMES FROM HERE REMINDS ME OF MY DAD AT OUR CANDY FACTORY.

A LOT OF TIME WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR PARENTS OVER THE YEARS, YOU CAN FALL AWAY FROM THOSE MEMORIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT FOR ME, IT IS EVERY DAY THAT THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL THAT HAPPENS HERE ALMOST EVERY DAY THAT CONNECTS ME TO HIM.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT MY DAD SAID TO ME THAT DAY WHEN I ASKED HIM IF I COULD COME AND WORK FOR THE CANDY BUSINESS, WHEN HE SAID I THINK I WANT MORE THAN YOU FROM THIS, I LOOK AT THAT STATEMENT AND TO ME IT IS JUST THE MOST PREPOSTEROUS THING HE COULD HAVE EVER SAID BECAUSE THIS BUSINESS HAS BEEN THE HUGEEST BLESSING THEY COULD HAVE GIVEN TO ME, A FAMILY BUSINESS THAT HAS CARRIED ON OVER FOUR GENERATIONS IS REALLY HARD TO FIND.

SOMEBODY ONCE SAID IF YOU CAN FIND ONE OUT THERE PAST THE THIRD GENERATION, YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING PRETTY SPECIAL.

MY MOM AND DAD WORKED TOGETHER, AND THEY LEFT ME THIS.

EVEN THOUGH I HAVE LOST THEM, THEY ARE STILL WITH ME EVERY DAY.

THEY WOULD BE REALLY PROUD OF WHAT IS GOING ON HERE.

>> ANNA SAYS IT IS THE SUPPORT OF HER FIVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND HER HUSBAND AND SON THAT HAS ALLOWED HER TO FOCUS ON THE GROWTH AND SUCCESS OF THE COMPANY.

WE WISH BOWERS CANDY ALL THE BEST FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS.

UP NEXT, WHERE CAN YOU FIND SOME OF THE BEST FOLK ART AND CRAFT WORK IN AMERICA?

IT IS RIGHT IN OUR OWN BACKYARD IN THE HILLS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY, A WONDERFUL REPRESENTATION OF THAT IS SHOWCASED AT THE KENTUCKY APPALACHAIN ARTISAN'S CENTER.

JENNY, FIRST TELL ME ABOUT THE ARTISAN'S CENTER AND HOW IT GOT STARTED.

>> IT WAS PART OF A DEVELOPMENT GRANT, ONE GIVEN BY GOVERNOR PATTON.

WE GOT ONE HERE IN HEINEMAN.

AND THEY CLOSE TO FOCUS ON THE ART SIN BASE, A VERY LARGE BASE.

THE MUSEUM IS A SMALL REPRESENTATION OF ALL THE ART IN THE COUNTY.

>> TRY TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

>> LIKE THIS WINDOW, WE TRIED TO DO A KNOTT COUNTY WINDOW.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ARTISANS ARE JUST FROM KNOTT COUNTY.

WE HAVE QUILTS, CROCHET ITEM, A GOOD BASKET-MAKER.

HE STILL DOES THE OLD GOING OUT INTO THE WOODS FOR THE MATERIALS, THE WHOLE THING.

WE HAVE A WOOD CARVERS, AND COAL-MINING PRINTS.

>> LET'S GO BACK IN THE BACK, THE PHOTOGRAPHY.

>> PHOTOGRAPHY IS GREAT.

WE CHANGE OUR EXHIBITS EVERY FOUR TO SIX WEEKS.

THIS EXHIBIT IS FROM THE SAME FAMILY WHO HAS FOUR GENERATIONS OF PHOTOGRAPHERERS.

WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE IT HERE.

>> SO THE WHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY SELECTION ON THE WALL BACK THERE IS FROM THE FOUR SKBREN RAKESS?

>> IT SURE IS.

>> AND WE HAVE SOME BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY FROM THE 1930'S.

>> WE HAVE A COUPLE SHOTS OF WHAT THE TOWN LOOKED LIKE EARLY ON AND WHAT THIS BUILDING ONCE WAS.

IT HAS BEEN SEVERAL DIFFERENCE THINGS, I THINK IT WAS A BEN FRANKLIN STORE AT ONE TIME.

IT WAS BUILT IN THE EARLY 1900'S.

WE ARE HAPPY IT GOT SAVED >> AND CHANGED INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY.

AND WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HANDMADE CHAIR BACK THERE.

LET'S GO BACK A LITTLE FARTHER.

>> THAT WAS DONE BY TERRY RAFLIN.

SHE IS ONE OF OUR HAND WORKERS.

>> THE PAINTINGS ARE IN THE BACK, THE DELSIMORES.

>> THOSE, YES.

>> BUT YOU HAVE ITEMS IN HERE THAT REALLY REPRESENT A WHOLE LOT OF COUNTIES, NOT JUST KNOTT COUNTY.

>> WE SERVICE NINE PRIMARY COUNTIES, A TOTAL OF 29 COUNTIES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE FROM OUTLYING COUNTIES.

>> ALL THE WAY WEST TO GREEN COUNTY.

>> WE HAVE A WIDE REPRESENTATION, ACTUALLY OF ARTISANS IN ALL THOSE COUNTIES.

WE ARE AIMING FOR MORE.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK THERE IS SO MUCH TALENT IN APPALACHA?

>> PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME THAT.

I KNOW WE HAVE A WEALTH OF TALENT IN THIS AREA.

I THINK A LOT OF IT IS JUST THE ATMOSPHERE, THE MOUNTAINS, SELF-RELIANT PEOPLE.

WE HAVE FARMING COMMUNITIES STILL, AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEARNED TO MAKE DO WITH WHAT THEY HAVE.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE REGION PREVENTS PEOPLE FROM GOING TO THE BIG CITIES.

THEY LEARN TO MAKE WHAT THEY NEEDED AND TOOK BIG TRIPS EVERY NOW AND AGAIN TO GET WHAT THEY HAD TO HAVE.

BUT THEY MADE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THEY REALLY NEEDED.

>> FINALLY, WHAT IS THE MISSION HERE?

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE?

>> TO PRESERVE OUR HERITAGE BY SERVING OUR ARTISANS.

>> YOU HAVE ITEMS FOR SALE AND ITEM ON DISPLAY, AND TRAINING.

>> WE OFFER WORKSHOPS.

WE TRY TO PAIR PEOPLE UP WITH SOME OF OUR MASTER ARTISANS WHO WANT TO PERFECT THEIR WORK.

WE ALSO HAVE AN EVENT JUST FOR KIDS.

THEY HAVE A GOOD TIME.

>> SO THE TRADITION CONTINUES.

>> IT DOES.

>> THANKS A LOT.

>> AS YOU SAW EARLIER IN THE SHOW, WE LOVE TO SHOWCASE FAMILY-OWNED AND OPERATED BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.

SUCH IS THE CASE AS WHE.

LER PHARMACY IN LEXINGTON.

WITH A LOT OF AMBITION AND BIG DEEMS, BUDDY WHEELERRK FIRST OPENED THE DOOR IN 1958.

AND THE DOOR IS STILL OPEN AT PRECISELY 9:00 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING EVERY DAY WITH FOLKS WAITING OUTSIDE TO GET IN.

JUST LIKE EVERY MORNING, THE BREAKFAST-CLUBBERS ARE LINED UP OUTSIDE WHEELER PHARMACY WAITING TO COME IN.

INSIDE THE AIR IS FILLED WITH THE AROMA OF FRESH COFFEE, THE SOUNDS IT HAVE DISHES RATTLING AND BACON FRYING.

IT IS ANOTHER DAY IN THE LONG HISTORY OF THIS LITTLE MOM AND POP BUSINESS THAT HAS BECOME AN ICON IN THE HEART OF LEXINGTON.

>> THIS IS A PLACE TO WORK WHERE I CAN ACTUALLY HAVE CONVERSATION NOT JUST ABOUT BUSINESS, BUT ABOUT LIFE.

>> THESE TWO BOYS ARE SO REGULAR, THEY HAVE MORE GRANDMOTHERS AN GRANDFATHERS THAN ANY KID, AND THEY ARE FOURTH GENERATION.

>> THEY ARE FOURTH GENERATION TO COME IN HERE.

>> I KNOW THIS ONE STARTED WHEN SHE WITH A ABOUT THAT AGE.

>> THIS OLD DRUG STORE AND GRILLED IS OPERATED AND OWNED BY BUDDY WHEELER AND FAMILY.

THAT IS DAUGHTER CLARE, BUDDY, SON STEWART, AND A NEIGHBORHOOD KID THE WHEELERS PRACTICALLY ADOPTED.

A YEAR AND-A-HALF OUT OF PHARMACY SCHOOL, A YOUNG AMBITIOUS BUDDY WHEELER SETTLED IN THE CHEVY CHASE NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> I JUST FELT LIKE THIS WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDED A DRUG STORE.

I WAS CERTAINLY AMBITIOUS ENOUGH TO GIVE IT A TRY.

>> THE GRAND OPENING WAS HELD IN JANUARY OF 1958.

EVERYBODY AROUND HERE LIKED BUDDY, SO IT WASN'T HARD TO GET A CROWD IN ON OPENING DAY.

HERE YOU COULD GET YOUR VITAMINS AND BUY LOGICALS, ALONG WITH A FOUNTAIN SHAKE, DIXIE ICE CREAM AND JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITES ON HERE?

LET'S GO OVER SOME OF THE PRICES.

>> WE HAD HOT SANDWICHES, FOUNTAIN TREATS.

I GUESS FOUNTAIN TREATS WAS THE BIG THING IN THOSE DAYS, ICE CREAM TREATS.

THERE WEREN'T MANY ICE CREAM SHOPS AROUND.

WE BE SERVED DIXIE ICE CREAM.

WHEN WE HAD A GRAND OPENING, WE HAD A BANANA SPLIT SPECIAL FOR 10 CENTS.

AND DRINKS WERE 10 OR 15 CENTS.

>> BUDDY DECIDED TO REMODEL THE PLACE IN 1965.

HE ADDED A GRILL, AND SOME OF THE NAMES HE GAVE THE BURGERS WON'T BE FOUND AT MCDONALD'S.

>> WE HAVE A STEWART BURGER, LIKE A PATTY MELT A CHEESEBURGER WITH GRID ONIONS ON IT.

IT IS SOMETHING I REGULARLY GET.

THEN WE HAVE THE BUDDY BURGER.

>> THE BUDDY BURGER WAS THE ORIGINAL.

ORIGINAL LOOK I DID CALL IT THE DOUBLE BURGER.

>> THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE SOME THINGS NEED TO STAY THE SAME.

YOU CAN STILL GET A BUDDY BURGER AND A FOUNTAIN SHAKE, MAYBE THE APARTMENTER'S ALMANAC AND TOYS FOR THE KIDS.

AND THE CAST OF LOYAL CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE CALLED THIS PLACE PART THEIRS FOR DECADES NOW HAVE CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN.

AS FOR THE CHARACTERS, WELL THEY HAVE COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, FACTORY WORKERS TO COACHES.

>> COACH BETINO'S FAMILY WAS A REGULAR, LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL.

SORRY TO SEE THEM MOVE.

NOT ONLY WAS HE THE BASKETBALL COACH, BUT A CUSTOMER AS WELL.

>> WE HAVE QUITE A CAST OF CHARACTERS.

THEY LIKE TO HAVE THEIR OWN LITTLE PARTICULAR STOOL.

IF YOU SIT IN THE WRONG STOOL, WILL YOU HEAR ABOUT IT.

>> BUDDY HAS ALWAYS BEEN PROACTIVE, FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN THE DRUG STORE AND THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

IT IS EASY TO SEE IN THESE OLD PHOTOS JUST HOW MUCH HE LOVES KIDS.

WAYNE HUNG OUT HERE AS A KID.

HE NEVER REALLY LEFT.

>> WHEN YOU WERE A KID EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD, DID YOU KNOW THEN YOU WANTED TO WORK HERE?

>> I WAS JUST DOING SOME DELIVERY WORK HERE.

I SAW HOW BUDDY WORKED, HOW HE TREATED THE CUSTOMERS.

I THOUGHT THAT LOOKS LIKE A REAL NICE PROFESSION.

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET THIS JOB AND I HAVE HELD ONTO IT EVER SINCE.

>> WHY DO YOU LIKE IT HERE SO MUCH?

>> I NO LONGER HAD A JOB, I HAD A PLACE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

I WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND I DON'T DREAD COMING HERE.

EVERY HAS GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS, BUT I NO LONGER FEEL LIKE I AM WAKING UP AND DRIVING TO JAIL ANYMORE.

THIS PLACE AND THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH, OBVIOUSLY THE FAMILIAR LEAP MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE, AND HAVING GROWN UP HERE AND RIDING MY BIKE UP HERE TO BUY MY 25 CENT M&M'S, IT IS HOME TO ME.

I HOPE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

>> EVER SINCE IT OPENED, WHEELER PHARMACY HAS BEEN THE LITTLE BUSINESS WHERE FOLKS HAVE BEEN PAMPERED BY CARING PRO PRY FIRST.

THE MOVERS IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THE PHARMACY IS THAT IT IS STILL HERE, NEVER CHANGING TOO MUCH, AND GIVING FOLKS A RESPIT FROM THE FRENZY OF MODERN LIFE.

I GUESS PEOPLE IN THIS LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD, THEY REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE AN OWNERSHIP IN WHEELER'S.

IT IS PART THEIRS.

>> THEY DO FEEL THAT WAY.

QUITE OFTEN THEY WILL ASK ME WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO GET THEIR DIVIDEND CHECK.

>> THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS EDITION OF "KENTUCKY LIFE" OLD SADIE AND I WILL SEE YOU AROUND THE BEND IN CITIES OR LITTLE TOWNS, ON THE FARM, WHEREVER WE CAN FIND THE RICHNESS OF KENTUCKY LIFE.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.