Parrot Confectionery Sweetens Life in Helena for Over a Century

HELENA, Mont. — Christmas has come early at the Parrot Confectionery, where the aroma of handmade sweets fills the air. For 103 years, this beloved candy shop in the heart of Last Chance Gulch has kept holiday traditions alive, creating iconic treats by hand.

As the festive season approaches, owner and head confectioner Karlee Kleinschmidt preps for the busy months ahead. Customers flock to the shop for the giant caramel candied apples and bowls of the Parrot’s famed chili. However, Kleinschmidt has her sights set on peppermint bark and homemade hard candies.

The confectionery has offered a staggering 130 varieties of handmade candies since the 1920s. Despite changes over the years, it remains a nostalgic place where grandparents share stories of their childhood visits. The candy recipes are largely unchanged, preserving the shop’s vintage charm.

Kleinschmidt, who became the head confectioner after purchasing the shop in May, aims to continue the legacy. ‘I’d like to keep it going as strong as it is,’ she stated. ‘People love it the way that it is.’

For those who remember sampling sweets from the Parrot in their youth, the shop offers fondant wafers, fudge, brittles, and the treasured caramel recipe made in a giant copper pot. ‘I was more excited than anything,’ Kleinschmidt expressed about her acceleration to the shop’s sole candymaker role after joining as an apprentice in 2018. Learning the recipes was an enjoyable challenge.

Growing up in Helena, Kleinschmidt cherished memories of visiting the shop. Tours offer curious visitors a peek at the candy-making process and the vintage equipment used. Highlights include a temperature-controlled dipping room where chocolatiers recently spent a day crafting black walnut nougat.

Despite her culinary training in New York focusing on modern techniques, Kleinschmidt returned to Helena, drawn by the joy the shop brings to the community. ‘Knowing the happiness this brings to the community, how could I not keep it going?’ she said.

As the holiday rush approaches, Kleinschmidt has modified some old recipes for easier solo production and revived others, such as decorative sugar eggs. She constantly experiments with new flavors for the store’s wide-ranging candy selection.

In the coming month, the Parrot will undergo updates to keep pace with rising online orders. However, Kleinschmidt maintains that if it’s not broken, it doesn’t need fixing. ‘I’ve tried to keep it pretty true to what it is,’ she noted.

The holiday season requires intense coordination on her part. Some days see multiple candies created, while others involve focusing on soda fountain mixers. The shop’s most labor-intensive candy, supremes, takes three days to prepare, whereas toffee molasses chips create chaos in the kitchen.

Occasionally, ingredients vanish, leading staff to joke about the original owners, William and Iantha Post, still overseeing operations from beyond. The Posts opened The Parrot after acquiring a local drug and confectionery store, believing a catchy slogan would help them thrive: ‘It talks for itself.’

Whether folks visit for traditional recipes or place online orders, Kleinschmidt acknowledges the support of the local community for the shop’s continued success. ‘The community has spread the good word about the products here,’ she said.