By Adam Cook, Contributing Writer

Filled wall to wall with candy, downtown Durham’s local candy shop, The Candy Bar, had its grand reopening on Saturday.

Donna and Chris Guerrette took over management this past December and started to make changes to the store.

“I always wanted to open a candy store,” Chris Guerrette said. “My wife says I have a candy radar as I never miss seeing one if we walk by.”

Chris Guerrette retired from the Air Force and began to pursue his dream of becoming the owner of a candy store. He said what interested him the most about candy stores are the colors, flavors and his love for candy.

Chris Guerrette has made a lot of changes to the Candy Bar. He has changed the setup of the store and has added new products. The newly added candy has come from various local candy shops from places that the Guerrette’s have lived prior to coming to Durham, as well as Swedish and British candies.

“Customer service is our main goal, candy is the side effect,” Chris Guerrette said when asked about what customers will be able to notice.

Chris Guerrette said that the grand reopening helps to show off some of the new changes he had made to the store. Five percent of the sales from March 28 to April 11 will be donated to conservation efforts to save the New England cottontail rabbit.

Michael O’Malley, an employee from Rockingham County Conservation District, was also at the Candy Bar giving information about the New England cottontail rabbit and his company’s efforts to save the animal from becoming endangered.

“I’m trying to get the word out to people,” O’Malley said as he passed out flyers and pamphlets about the Cottontail.

Outside of the Candy Bar was the co-ed fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, volunteering with Durham Parks and Recreation to give away goodies and for children to get their photos with the Easter bunny.

Stefanie Frazee, an employee for Durham’s Parks and Recreation, was at the Candy Bar as she brought the Durham Easter Bunny to the event.

“We wanted to try something a little different to let the Durham Easter Bunny to interact with the community at large,” Frazee said. “We are always looking for opportunities to get with the town.”

Kelly Sareault, a member of Alpha Phi Omega, said that the fraternity gives 100 percent to community service and had been enjoying helping out the Durham Parks and Recreation.

With all of the new renovations to the store, Guerrette was very excited to reopen the store and show it all off. The Candy Bar is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Saturday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

“Come on by, and, as the store slogan says, ‘stop in and let us sweeten your day,’” Guerrette said.