[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 17] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 21900-21901] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO SAYKLLY'S CONFECTIONARY AND GIFTS ______ HON. BART STUPAK of michigan in the house of representatives Monday, November 13, 2006 Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a business and a family in my district that, in many ways, exemplify the American dream. The Sayklly's family business has been in the same family for 100 years. Through hard work, perseverance and an admirable entrepreneurial spirit, the family has built an Upper Peninsula institution. In 1906, a young Lebanese immigrant named Joseph Sayklly opened his own shop in Escanaba, Michigan. The shop, ``Sayklly's,'' carried groceries and homemade candy and ice cream. Eventually, that little store would [[Page 21901]] blossom into a thriving landmark, recognized throughout the Escanaba area. In 1916, Joseph married his wife, Mary, who was also a Lebanese immigrant. Together, Joseph and Mary would have nine children-- Josephine, Marge, Angeline, Louise, Elizabeth, Marie, Martha Jean, Fred and Edward. All of the children helped in the business and all of them lived in a small apartment above the store. Over the years, Sayklly's grew in popularity. Local residents in Escanaba would stop by the store to take home a bag of Sayklly's famous candy or linger at the soda fountain to savor treats made with hand- cranked ice cream. In the early days of Sayklly's, some of the most popular products sold were peanut brittle, hand-pulled taffy, hand- dipped chocolates, peanut clusters and fudge. Many of these same delights are sold today. When Joseph Sayklly passed away in 1943, Mary maintained the business with the help of her children and Mary's sister Martha Jean. In 1959, Fred moved the candy-making part of the business to Third Avenue North from its original Ludington Street location. Fred also separated the store Sayklly's from the candy production facility. Shortly thereafter, Marge and Josephine began operating the store, then known as ``Sayklly's Confectionary and Gift.'' Around 1960, Sayklly's stopped selling groceries and concentrated on selling the candies and gift items for which the store has since become so famous. In 1983 Debbie and Jim Kirby purchased Sayklly's Confectionary and Gifts from Josephine and Marge. Debbie was the granddaughter of Joseph, the original founder of the business. Operating Sayklly's was a homecoming for Debbie who began working in the store at age 12 when her aunts, Marge and Josephine were the proprietors. Today, Debbie fondly recalls how her Aunt Marge instilled into her a sense of customer service, always reminding Debbie to put a smile on her face for customers by saying, ``Smile, God loves you.'' Today, Sayklly's remains in the same family that started it 100 years ago. Since the enterprising Joseph Sayklly opened the store in 1906, it has been a mainstay in downtown Escanaba. The store continues to be an institution for everyone who lives in Escanaba and throughout the Upper Peninsula. Locals and visitors alike delight in Sayklly's famous chocolates. Sayklly's has grown over the years. The business now employs 28 people year round and that number increases when extra help is needed during busy sale times such as Christmas, Valentine's Day and Easter. In addition to renovating the store on Ludington Street in Escanaba, the Kirbys have opened Sayklly's outlets in the Delta Plaza Mall in Escanaba as well as the Westwood Mall in Marquette, Michigan. However, just as the business has grown over the years, the owners have never forgotten their commitment to quality. Sayklly's uses only premium ingredients, still heats candy in big copper kettles and hand- dips all of its chocolates. Sayklly's remains an anchor of the Escanaba community. As Debbie Kirby notes, what she enjoys most about owning and operating Sayklly's are her customers. Generations of families have gathered at Sayklly's to buy treats, visit with their neighbors or simply see a friendly Sayklly face. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to admit that I too have been bitten by the Sayklly chocolate bug. Over my 14 years in Congress, I have handed out hundreds of Sayklly chocolate bars, known as ``Yooper Bars'' to people in Washington, DC. A ``Yooper Bar'' is a chocolate bar in the shape of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Everyone from Members of Congress to President Clinton to troops recovering in Walter Reed Hospital from wounds incurred in Iraq have enjoyed a delicious Yooper Bar from Sayklly's. Mr. Speaker, we all know how challenging it can be for a family to build a small business. Growing a successful business, while also keeping it in the same family for over 100 years, is truly an impressive accomplishment. I ask that the entire U.S. House of Representatives join with the people of Escanaba to observe Sayklly's centennial celebration. Please join me in saluting the Kirbys and all the generations of the Sayklly family who have made ``Sayklly's'' into a special place that is enjoyed by so many of my constituents. ____________________