Reflecting on Tastykakes and its future

Alberta Crawford said she was about three years old when she bit into her first Tastykake.

“I loved them then,” Crawford said. “I still love them. I love to eat them.”

Crawford, now 64, said she still shops for the confectionery treats, especially at the Tastykake Thrift Outlet Store at 2236 W. Hunting Park Ave.

“I loved the Butterscotch Krimpets and most of the cupcakes,” Crawford said. “The chocolate-covered Kandy Kakes were my favorites. I love eating those.”

“I was so sorry to hear that [Tasty Baking Company] went bankrupt,” she added. “I guess that’s the way the economy in this country is going.”

“It’s not just the small businesses suffering – big businesses are now feeling it too,” Crawford said.

Crawford said she thought Tasty should receive additional help, whether it’s an extended deadline from the company’s lenders or financial help from the government.

“I think these banks and the government need to understand that when a big business is lost, so is every single job [for that business],” she said. “The people who worked in that factory are the ones who are going to suffer the most.”

Crawford said she thought the United States government focused too much on providing aid for other countries.

“I love living in this country, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” she said. “But we need to take care of our own and our own businesses first.”

“I just hope future generations get to enjoy Tastykakes,” she added.

Josh Fernandez can be reached at josh@temple.edu.