written by Anna Bird | photo by Jessica Keener
A trip to the coast wouldn’t be a trip to the coast without the sweet indulgence of saltwater taffy. In 1963, Bruce and Treva Haskell opened Bruce’s Candy Kitchen in Cannon Beach to sell their homemade confections. Back then, the building was entirely pink and white striped, but it’s now partially covered in the quintessential saltwater-weathered cedar shakes that are common in Oregon’s coastal communities. Inside, it’s a brightly-colored candy extravaganza with homemade taffy, chocolates, brittles, corns, caramels, hard candies and a wall of jellybeans. Customers peer in windows, watching candy makers complete the taffy pulling process. Fresh, warm taffies can be sampled before they’re wrapped. Passed down through four generations, the Haskells’ great-grandchildren now run the award-winning treat kitchen at the original location in Cannon Beach and a second location in the Seaside Outlet Mall.