Good Morning it’s Thursday March 18th, and this is The Wenatchee World’s podcast, Slices of Wenatchee. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. 

Today --- After 101 years in business, the Liberty Orchards Company, makers of Aplets & Cotlets, has announced plans to close this summer.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA.

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Now our feature story…

After 101 years in business, the Liberty Orchards Company, makers of Aplets & Cotlets, has announced plans to close on June 1st this year.

The Company President Greg Taylor said that this decision was made three years ago - they’d try to sell the business, and if they couldn’t sell it, they’d close.

Taylor told us that there’s been a lot of interest, they’ve had some good negotiations with several prospective buyers but they were never able to put together a deal. They had tried long enough, and it’s time to move on.

While the closure comes during the COVID-19 pandemic, Taylor said that the decision to close their doors was not directly related. From an operating standpoint, it did make it harder to be in business and it did have a negative effect on some sales, but the online business actually grew in this past year.

Taylor did note that the pandemic made it much more difficult to sell the business.

They had a number of interested buyers, but when the pandemic came on they walked away from exploring it further because they had bigger issues. 

The company was founded in 1920 by two Armenian immigrants, Mark Balaban and Armen Tertsagian, who owned a small orchard and developed the Aplets & Cotlets candies which became the staples of the company.

Here’s Taylor in an interview with Northwest Journey’s on the history of the company…

For Taylor, closing the company after so many years is a mixed bag.

There’s disappointment, but they’re very proud of 101 years of business. Taylor and the team are proud of the legacy, the employment they’ve provided and the customers they’ve served.

Liberty Orchards employs between 25 and 125. Those employees are one of the reasons the company has been in business so long, aside from the great product.

Many employees have been there for 20 or 30 years.

The company will be selling down its inventory in the upcoming months, and they’ll stay open through the end of May. Make sure to pay them a visit while you can!

For more on this story visit us at wenatcheeworld.com

Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health.  Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com

Next, We’d like to take a moment to recognize a local leader from The Wenatchee World’s North Central Washington Impact Awards.

Today, Alma Chacón, a longtime educator and co-founder of a thriving Wenatchee non-profit.

Finally, some local history, Wenatchee Valley History is brought to you by NABUR New members can sign up at nabur.wenatcheeworld.com.

By the way - it’s time for the 11th annual World’s Best, the Wenatchee World’s tribute to recognizing the Best of our area. This year, things will be a little different and we need your help! We are looking to you to nominate your favorite businesses, people and places in Round 1. From March 17th to April 4th, go to wenatcheeworld.com/worldsbest to submit your nominees on the ballot. Round 2, the voting round, will be live on April 21. Visit wenatcheeworld.com/worldsbest for more information. 

Now, some history…

Many people dreamed of harnessing the Columbia for its hydroelectric potential. In the mid-1920s, Rufus Woods, who purchased the Wenatchee Daily World in 1907 and was its publisher until 1950, coined a tagline for the paper that is still used today: "Published in the Apple Capital of the World and the Buckle of the Power Belt of the Great Northwest." Not surprisingly, Woods became an influential booster of dams and hydro development. 

Thanks for listening. Today’s episode is brought to you by Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com.

The Wenatchee World has been engaging, informing and inspiring North Central Washington Communities since 1905. We encourage you to subscribe today to keep your heart and mind connected to what matters most in North Central Washington. Thank you for starting your morning with us and don't forget to tune in again on Saturday!