Entry No. 46 — the Boise file — filed under: hands-on
Lee's Candies
A family-run confectionery that has made chocolates in Boise since 1947, working from recipes the founder's father developed apprenticing in candy shops across the country in the early 1900s. Now in its third generation, their interactive class puts you behind the counter to learn dipping and hand-finishing techniques and craft chocolates you take home. The session comes with a charcuterie plate and all the samples you can eat while you work.
The story
In 1947, Lee Nokleby opened a chocolate shop on Jefferson Street using formulas his father, LG, had cobbled together while apprenticing in confectioneries across early-1900s America. The operation migrated to the Vista Village Shopping Center on the Bench in 1972, bringing along heavy copper kettles and a rigid family mandate: 'Never change your quality.' Hand-dipped creams, brittles, and caramels have been made on Vista Avenue ever since, maintaining the same recipes through three generations of handoffs—first to Lee's son Curtis in 1986, and later to local father-daughter team Ken and Katie Fernandez in 2020.
What turns this long-standing candy counter into a hands-on workshop is their behind-the-counter class. Instead of standing behind glass watching someone else work, you roll up your sleeves in their production space. Under the guidance of their chocolatiers, you learn traditional dipping, tempering, and hand-finishing techniques—turning boiled sugar and melted chocolate into custom boxes using the exact mid-century recipes LG perfected a century ago.
What it's like
Pulling into Vista Village, the shop smells heavily of warm cocoa butter and toasted sugar the moment you push through the door. Class sessions run behind the main counter in small groups, and the vibe is practical and sticky; expect to get chocolate on your hands almost immediately as instructors walk you through hand-dipping and decorating. The essential trick is pacing: the workshop includes a savory charcuterie board of cured meats and cheeses specifically brought out to cut the sweetness of the unlimited chocolate samples you eat while working, so arrive hungry and don't skip the salty snacks between dips.
The move: Book the candy-making class, hand-dip and decorate a box of chocolates together, and split the charcuterie and samples between dips.
📍 Before you go Classes are scheduled and booked ahead at the Vista Ave shop, which is closed Sundays.
- 📍 Boise
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 840 S Vista Ave, Boise, ID 83705
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Chits & Chats — Pair your hand-dipped chocolates with a tabletop game at this board game pub located less than half a mile away on the Bench.
- Base Camp Pong + Axe — Trade chocolate-dipping tools for ping-pong paddles or throwing axes to burn off the sugar rush less than a mile down the road.
- The Stein Luminary — Follow up analog mid-century sugar craft with ninety feet of high-resolution digital art touchscreens on Boise State's campus.
Good to know
Do you get to take home what you make in the class?
Yes, every participant hand-dips and decorates a custom box of chocolates during the workshop to take home, along with all the samples you eat while working.
Is food provided during the chocolate-making workshop?
The class comes with all-you-can-eat chocolate samples as you work, plus a curated meat-and-cheese charcuterie plate to offset the sugar.
Do you need to book the candy class ahead of time?
Yes, classes must be scheduled and booked in advance through the shop's website or directly with the Vista Avenue store.
Where is the workshop held and what are the shop hours?
Classes take place at the main shop at 840 S Vista Ave, which is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM (closed Sundays).
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: idahobusinessreview.com · Official site · Yelp · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-24