A LOCAL CELEBRITY
Photos by Anthony Evans
“I
t set the stage,” she says of her first bout of national publicity in the 80s. “I was in the news almost every day. It was wonderful – the best thing that could happen to me.” Debbie began making candy when she was quite young. She learned how to cook from her mother. “I’ve always been stirring a pot,” she quips. Her mom was a single parent, and started to make and sell candy to supplement their income. The little business grew; Debbie recalls making candy for arts and craft shows around town, as well as at the state fair and convention center. The Candy Lady formally opened in 1980, and has been going strong ever since.
In September of 1980, The Candy Lady opened its doors in Albuquerque’s Old Town, thus commencing one of the best known and yummiest institutions in the Q. Since then, owner Debbie Ball has become a local celebrity, making news for her controversial x-rated candy and, more recently, for her Breaking Bad products.
“We’re probably one of the few candy companies that doesn’t cross contaminate. We don’t use high fructose corn syrup or GMOs. We also carry sugar-free candy for diabetics,” Debbie says. She’s well known for her cakes (for weddings, birthdays, quinceañeras, communions, etc.), as well as for 20 types of fudge, 60 varieties of black licorice, decadent truffles, fresh strawberries and raspberries, as well as chocolate with
piñon and chile, toffees, hard candies… whatever your imagination can conjure. The Candy Lady has been involved with the Breaking Bad series since the show’s inception in 2008. When they came to her wanting a prop for meth, she came up with rock candy. “They had no budget and it wasn’t a big deal yet,” she recalls. In August 2012, Channel 13 did a news story on Breaking Bad and locals associated with the show. After that, Debbie did four more interviews back to back, including with the Associated Press. And for the next year, she was doing an interview nearly every day. As a result of her celebrity rise, Debbie’s landlord of over 30 years raised the rent significantly, forcing The Candy Lady to relocate a block east to 424 San Felipe NW. The store is still located in historic Old Town, but on the way out instead of the way in. Of her publicity, Debbie says the most important thing is that it brings attention to Albuquerque. “I’m not just a business; I’m part of the fabric of Albuquerque,” Debbie reflects. This is true in more ways than one; Debbie’s family descended from the conquistadors and is supposedly one
of the founding families of Albuquerque. “Being in old town means a lot to me,” she says. She’s seen generations of families come into her store. Over 36 years later, Debbie is still making the best candy around and sharing her scrumptious treats with every customer who walks through her doors.
The Candy Lady 424 San Felipe NW Old Town Albuquerque 505.243.6239 TheCandyLady.com