Westwood Confectioners Span Generations

J.J. Krachtus was pursuing a career in industrial engineering, but he spent his days bored and watching the clock. After about 18 months, Krachtus decided to give up engineering and join his family making candy at on Westwood Avenue.

All of the candy and ice cream sold at Conrad's is made on the premises, including 60 different kinds of chocolates, about 20 kinds of bars and barks, as many as 19 flavors of ice cream in the summer and, for Easter, about 8,000 molded chocolate rabbits in 70 different varieties.

J.J. is a third-generation confectioner at the store which his grandfather, Jim Pouletsos, purchased from original owner Fred Conrad in 1960. J.J.'s parents, John and Corinne, took over the business in the '80s after working as teachers in Cherry Hill and Deptford.

"My best day was when J.J. came up and said 'I want to take over the business,'" John Krachtus said.

The Krachtuses still make the sweets the same way Conrad did when he opened the store in 1928. Some of the details have changed, like metal molds being replaced with better plastic models, but the basic process, ingredients and portions remain the same. That's why people keep coming back, Corinne Krachtus said.

"It's really one of the best products out there," Corinne said.

The portions are particularly important, J.J. said. While portion sizes elsewhere have increased, everything is still the same size it always has been at Conrad's. Even while on a diet, customers can enjoy the store's mini-size ice cream cones, which are just a few inches tall and topped with one small scoop.

"Things haven't changed much in the last half century," John Krachtus said.

One thing that has changed is that Conrad's has seen increasing online business, though the majority of their customers still come in person, J.J. said. The store was also featured on The Martha Stewart Show , furthering their notoriety. Online orders tend to be for larger items like the 26" chocolate Easter rabbit.

John said he will be finishing up the Easter rabbits soon. The holiday marks the end of the main "candy season," after which counter space will open up for a traditional soda fountain with more flavors of homemade ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream.

"For me, it's not work," John Krachtus said. "It's fun."