A native of Poland, Walter Bogdon created his first confection after he bought a candy store in Missouri. Towards the end of World War II he moved his operation to Kansas City, where a customer made a request that would change his life. In search of a special candy for her wedding she turned to Bogdon, who thought up a combination not yet popular in use. After cooking hard candies and rolling them into thin strips, he dipped them in chocolate. That was the first Bogdon Reception Stick. The candy became so popular that Bogdon began manufacturing it for general use, and in many different flavors. Today Richardson Brands owns the Bogdon name and manufacturing operation, but continues to produce the reception sticks, which remain the only of its kind. It's hard to imagine, but Bogdon's Candy created something so perfect that not even the candy titans could successfully copy it.
