The Minerva Candy Company was opened in 1905 by John and Gus Klenkious.  The Webb City store built in 1913 was part of a group of stores which included Joplin and Carthage, Missouri.  The stores were sold to Jim Mallos in 1921.  Jim's son, Gene, assisted him in the candy store.  Gene married Jo Anne in 1945 and had two sons - Jimmy and Richard (Duke).  Jim passed away on April 14, 1981 and Gene followed six months later leaving Jo Anne to run the store.  Jo Anne and her sons ran the business until the store was closed to the public in 2005.

   The buildings were bought by Tom and Mary Hamsher in August of 2011.  Restoration of the buildings began immediately.  The buildings were rebuilt so that the production of hard candy would again be a part of the buildings history.  The marble walls, mirrors, octogan tile floors, tin ceilings and antique cabinets are all unique and orginal to the candy store.  The orginal marble cooling tables, candy processing equipment, copper kettles and candy cookers in the candy kitchen have been restored and are an important part of the candy making process.

   The second building adjacent to the Minerva was purchased by the Mallos' in 1990 and became a part of the Minerva complex.  The building built in 1910 had orginally been a bakery and was used by Minerva as storage.  This building has been converted into a functioning restaurant serving as a deli.

   Together these two building have become one of the crown jewels buildings restored in downtown Webb City.  Production of all forms of candy - chocolates and hard candy - are possible with this wonderfully restored building!