Royer, a confectioner in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. From 1872 to 1876, Hershey helped Royer with his candy-making business and ice cream parlor, learning skills that would later help him build his own candy empire.
Tried and Tried Again
At the age of 19, Hershey parted company with Royer and started his own candy business in Philadelphia. He hoped to find an eager buying public in the thousands of people visiting the city for the Great Centennial Exposition celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. With money he borrowed from his uncle and the help of his mother and aunt, Hershey began making taffy and caramels, which were sold from a pushcart. The business scraped by for six years. In 1882, Hershey collapsed from the strain of working all day (selling the candy) and all night (manufacturing it). Forced to admit failure, Hershey closed up shop.
Hershey decided to seek his fortune in Denver, Colorado, along with his father, who had also moved west. He worked for a candy company in Denver, where he learned how to improve the quality of his chocolate by adding fresh milk. With his father, he moved to Chicago, and opened yet another candy business.
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