Cy and Tom Hallett started Hallett Farms over 25 years ago with a strawberry and raspberry farm in Otis Orchard, WA. a stones throw again from the Spokane River. After a couple of seasons farming the boys decided along with their other brother Loren, that they needed something else to keep themselves busy in the winter season (it wasn't enough that they all had full time jobs and farming.) So they started shipping Washington apples and pears, nuts and cheese, that was in 1978. These new adventures worked out great but, remember when dealing with the Halletts theres always a "but", it still wasn't enough. They felt that because their gifts were so seasonal that people would forget about them, season to season. So the problem was they needed something out there that people could buy year around with the Hallett name. Hence, the birth of our famous Peanut Butter Peanut Brittle, now refered to as Peanut Butter Crunch. So now along with farming, apple/pear gift boxes, the boys were now making candy (this is where I come in, Tom's girlfriend to help them package the candy at night and on weekends, because I also had a full time job).
After several years of farming some good, some not so good the boys decided it was time to move on and pursue the mail order/candy business. At this time we moved to a beautiful cedar A-frame (during Expo 74 this building was the entrance to an RV park) that had sat vacant for years in Liberty Lake, WA. After lots of work we were ready to open. We now had a huge candy kitchen located in the basement and upstairs we had a small deli and retail store. By this time Cy had already quit his full time job and I followed soon after. As time went on the boys developed another candy, Old English Almond Toffee, now referred to as Almond Toffee Crunch. After six years located in the cool water flats of Liberty Lake it was time to move. Cy was fast becoming a master at candy making and Tom and I wanted to pursue the gift basket/deli business. It was time to make our move. Cy took the candy part of the business and opened a factory in north Spokane where he makes the worlds finest hand-dipped chocolates and candies. Tom and I relocated in the Spokane Valley and started Halletts Market & Café’.
For several years we continued to ship apples and pears, but because of nature, the weather and shipping problems we discontinued the fruit and developed the gift basket business. Which brings us now to present day and this internet site.
Cy and his wife Jennifer have developed an international business with their chocolates and candies, which are available on our site.
Loren had to leave the business several years back to get a real job, you know the ones with health insurance and paid vacations.
The farm is now a housing development and the beautiful cedar A-frame in Liberty Lake was torned down and is now a stripe mall.
Boy! How things have changed over the years, Tom and I married along the way and have been together for over 28 years, we have a wonderful 14 year old daughter.
Little known facts about Halletts Market & Café’
We were the first gift basket/mail order company in business in Spokane.
We were the first to sell whole bean coffee in the Spokane Valley
We were the first to bring espresso to the Spokane Valley
We have been in our present location for over 22 years
We have several employees that have been with us for at least 15 years or more - we are truly lucky to have these wonderful people!
Our Halletts sausage is world famous. We have actually shipped it to Italy, the shipping cost more than the sausage, but they didn’t care.
We carry the largest selection of imported and mirco-brews in the Spokane Valley
