The Nifty Nut House Quality, value and selection 

The Nifty Nut House is a third-generation family owned business that was founded - and continues to thrive - in Wichita.  The store sells many varieties of nuts, candies, chocolates and gum. In addition, the Nifty Nut House offers a wide variety of dried fruits, chocolate- and yogurt-covered nuts, butter toffee-covered nuts and gourmet chocolates. From hot-and-spicy nut snack mixes to sweet-and-savory selections, there's something for every palate.

Of course, nearly everything's better coated in milk or dark chocolate, and the Nifty Nut House has plenty of treats in store, from chocolate-covered sunflower seeds to other crispy treats; it's impossible to go home empty-handed. Seventy-two flavors of Jelly Bellys and dozens of individually wrapped hard candies round out the store's selection. There is an extensive sugar-free candies and chocolates section, as well as T-shirts with fun sayings and gumball machines - in case you need to a gift or two for the holidays.

Colored M&Ms can be selected in a variety of mix-and-match team colors. And, the Nifty Nut House has ready-made gift boxes available, which are one of the store's most popular items this time of year.

"We'll sell about 80,000 gift boxes between Thanksgiving and Christmas," said owner Steve Jahn.

Since Sept. 2007, store manager Rose Andrews has motivated employees to work hard while creating a fun and memorable customer experience. Customer service is Andrews' top priority and the Nifty Nut House staffers make it a true shopping destination, including seasonal fun like line dances and Santa hats to create a holiday atmosphere. The employees are well-versed in the art of offering taste samples and they'll always offer to carry out a customer's purchases.
"Candy should be a fun experience," Jahn said. "We're a big, kid-friendly candy store, and we try to make it fun for our customers. But we work seriously at it behind the scenes to fight for price and availability."

That commitment to reasonable prices and greater selection has secured the Nifty Nut House it's place in the Wichita landscape since 1937, the year it was founded by Ed and Gus Muckenthaler. At the time, the store offered roasted nuts, handmade chocolates and fresh-squeezed orange juice.  After Ed was drafted into the military in the 1940s, his wife, daughter and son-in-law continued the business until his return.

By the 1950s, Ed changed the business to a large wholesale operation. Small bulk coin operated vending machines that dispensed gumballs and peanuts were commonplace, so Ed sold these items wholesale as well as candy bars and chips. His nephew, Ron Jahn, made frequent purchases for his bulk vending route, and when Ed was ready to retire in 1973, it seemed only natural that Ron purchase the business.

Along with the company's wholesale concerns, Ron focused on retail sales. He added three large counters and filled them with fresh, bulk nuts, candies and dried fruits. He also moved the Nifty Nut House to its current location, 537 N. St. Francis, to take advantage of a larger retail area and additional parking. In 1994, Ron's son, Steve, purchased the Nifty Nut House.

Within the last six years, the Nifty Nut House has undergone two more expansions to accommodate customer demand. Today, the Nifty Nut House offers an impressive 6,000-square-foot retail area for your shopping convenience.