Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen co-owner David Jones is being remembered for his contributions as a business leader from the early days of Alpine Helen and as a loving husband and father.
Jones, of Sautee Nacoochee, passed away Monday at age 75, after an illness.
The Atlanta native moved to Helen with his wife, Janet, in 1973. After meeting Pete Hodkinson – considered one of the “founding fathers” of the city’s reimagining as a Bavarian village – Jones soon took over ownership of a modest candy shop there. In a October 2019 interview with the White County News, Jones said his business success story began in a 234-square-foot space.
“It was so small you couldn’t even see it from Main Street. It was just in the alley in the middle of Helen,” he said. “We had no idea what we were doing. We had no money. We had no experience running a retail business.”
The Joneses used just over $500 they had saved for a first-anniversary trip to Jamaica to open their candy store, he said. They initially bought the sweets they resold before eventually learning to finer points of candymaking along the way.
Over the years, Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen thrived, expanding to an operation of about 13,000 square feet, with two locations, according to Jones.
“I’m proud we’re able to offer opportunities for people to have jobs in the county,” he said of the growth.
Hue Rainey said Jones was one of the first people he met after moving from Atlanta to Helen in the mid-1970s. They had shared interest in sports and travel.
“He pretty quickly became my best friend,” Rainey says. “He was well-respected in the business community.”
The two often talked about the direction of the city’s burgeoning development as a tourism destination. They worked together on the “sister city” project and relationship that Helen now shares with Füssen, Germany.
“He was a tremendous Helen supporter,” Rainey says.
Along with building a candy empire, Jones had a vision for how he wanted to lead and for the city’s future.
“David has a mind of his own. He really didn’t conform to everyone’s thinking. He thought on his own, his own direction,” Rainey says. “The end result with him was the development of tourism in Helen. He well did his part in that.”
Longtime city official Jeff Ash moved to Helen in 1971, about a year before Jones. The two worked together often over the years, with Ash serving as Jones’ banker.
Ash says he appreciated Jones’ approached to growing his candy store and bettering the city.
“David was very much a hands-on operator of his business,” he says. “It’s one of the more outstanding store in Helen.”
Ash says Jones was also dedicated to his wife and family.
“I know how proud David was of his daughters and his grandchildren,” he says.
“I was proud to know him.”
Before moving to Helen, Jones served four years in the United States Army Security Agency. His community involvement locally included work with the Chamber of Commerce and Fasching festival.
Acquaintances also praised his work as an author, having written the book, Candy Making for Dummies, published in 2005.
Funeral services are planned for 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 13, at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Clarkesville. The family will receive visitors at the church that day beginning at noon.
Excerpts from former reporter Stephanie Hill’s October 2019 interview with Jones were used in this story.