I swear I’m not trying to drop any hints, but since Valentine’s Day is coming up next Monday (yes, that soon!) I thought today would be a good time to feature this Classic episode of California’s Gold. Although the historic Polk Street location is no longer a See’s Candy store, you can still find three retail outlets within San Francisco. In watching this episode, I especially loved learning that the classic I Love Lucy segment was actually based on See’s Candy operations — and the company provided a technical advisor to help get it right!

It started back in 1921 and quickly became one of California’s biggest and “sweetest” success stories. The little shop on Western Avenue featured the favorite candy recipes of Mary See and focused on farm-fresh ingredients and homemade goodness. Before long this little shop had grown into a chain of stores serving loyal customers, and See’s Candies had become famous around the world. In this calorie-laden edition of California’s Gold, Huell gets a first hand taste of the See’s story.

First, he visits one of the earliest shops to open in San Francisco and meets with current and past employees. While there, Huell also talks with regular customers who come in to purchase their particular favorite type of Sees Candy. Then he travels to Los Angeles for a tour of the inner sanctum of the See’s Candy factory where the historic candies are actually made. It’s an assembly line like none other in the world, manned by employees who have been with the company for years. The story of See’s Candy is indeed a true California success story — one of which Mary See surely would be proud!

(Click on the linked image below to see the video.)