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Caramel Apples, fond memories, and family traditions!
My kids and I had a tradition each Fall of riding the trolley to The Parrot to get caramel apples and jelly beans. As soon as my kids bounced through the door they were greeted with a warm smile and cheerful, “there’s my little buddies!” from the man my kids had nick-named “The Jelly Bean Man.” The Jelly Bean Man, or Dave Duensing to everyone else, would then give my boys quarters to play the jukebox, asking that they play his favorite song, “House of the Rising Sun.”
My family’s relationship with The Parrot is just one of countless similar stories as many Montanan’s hold a special connection to the tiny, unassuming candy store and soda fountain nestled quietly along Helena’s Downtown Walking Mall.
Established in the 1910s, the Parrot has continually operated as a family-owned and operated enterprise. Perhaps it’s that connection to family that makes the place so special.
Initially I worked with Dave on various civic projects, but as I got to know him, he became a cherished friend. Dave passed away unexpectedly this past March, leaving a void in many peoples lives, mine included. As October approached, my kids commented that our annual Fall trip to the Parrot just wouldn’t be the same this year. It did not help that the trolley ceased operation in August, signaling the official end of our tradition. Needless to say, we had been putting off going to the Parrot for our caramel apples and jelly beans.
The new owners of the Parrot have introduced a family game night held each Friday from 6-9 PM. While they started doing this back in September, the kids and I finally made the trip down this past Friday to check it out.
As we sat in the booth enjoying root-beer floats and playing go-fish, my oldest son asked for a quarter. When I inquired why he needed money, he replied, “I want to play Dave’s song on the jukebox.” His simple request brought me to tears as I realized how much he too missed Dave and our tradition, but also, that in spite of it all, we would always have fond memories of good times spent with our friend at the Parrot.
So the kids and I ordered caramel apples, played Dave’s favorite song on the jukebox and had some fun playing go-fish. As we enjoyed our evening, I started to reflect on what makes the Parrot such a special place…is it the candy or the location…or the people or the connection to community?
Pride in ownership and pride in community were reflected in all that the Duensing’s did to ensure that The Parrot remained a steadfast anchor in Downtown Helena. But Dave and his family did more than just run a candy store; they helped to shape and create family memories and fond moments for anyone who passed through the door of The Parrot.
The Duensing’s made more than candy; they created a social gathering place. During a time when technology didn’t mandate or manage relationships, people took the time to gather and connect with one another, and in Helena, The Parrot was a pivotal part of that the social scene.
Today, The Parrot is still family owned and operated, and traditions and connection to quality is what new owners Brian and Kelly Ackerman are striving to retain. Maintaining a comfortable and warm environment for current and new customers is a task that Brian and Kelly take very seriously. “The Parrot is a common thread for many Montanan’s. In some way or another we all have a connection to this place…a memory,” explains Kelly who has fond memories of visits as a child to The Parrot.
Like the Duensing’s, the Ackerman’s continue to use the recipes that made The Parrot famous to begin with, a testament that the success in the past eighty-five plus years is due to the fact that they make a good product, and the product doesn’t change. “We were attracted to the value of the product, as well as the tradition,” explains Brian. “The Parrot recipes are authentic—real, they have never used artificial sweeteners or preservatives, and that’s a tradition I plan to continue.”
Since the 1910s, The Parrot has been a place of social gathering and has become a landmark, historic business. The candy store and soda fountain has weathered the storms of a series of fires; The Great Depression; an earthquake, two world wars, and countless ebbs and flows in our economy. The Parrot has withstood the trials and tribulations of time…and so will we as a community as long as we never forget those traditions that bind us together as family and as a community.
