Lois Michopoulos learned how to make chocolates from her parents and transferred that knowledge to the highly successful Michelle Candies in Colorado Springs.
Michopoulos, who died March 7 at 79, and her late husband, John Michopoulos, were famous not only for their hand-dipped chocolates but also their ice cream sundae creations.
Lois Michopoulos “was absolutely charming,” said a 20-year employee, Roberta Skelton of Colorado Springs.
“But she was strict, knew her business and employees were expected to do what she asked,” said Skelton, who dipped chocolates for years and never tired of the smell or the taste.
One of the famous Michopoulos creations was a sundae called the “Giant Beauty,” according to a Denver Post story from 1965.
It included strawberry shortcake, three flavors of ice cream, a banana sliced into the shape of flower petals, strips of cinnamon and whipped cream topped with a blazing sugar cube that had been soaked in alcohol.
If the ice cream and chocolates didn’t lure people into the Colorado Springs store, there were tooting horns, ringing bells and small alarms to announce someone had bought the Giant Beauty or another of the huge creations.
A $110 sundae to feed 25 people was popular for birthday parties and was pictured in 1959 in Life magazine.
About four years ago, a second store was opened in Arapahoe County, but it became too much of a financial strain and both locations were closed last May, said son Andy Michopoulos of Colorado Springs.
An earlier expansion in 1965 — Maison de Cafe on the bridge over Court Place in downtown Denver — was more successful, lasting several years.
Fancy chocolates were the main product from October until Mother’s Day, and then customers veered toward the sundaes, Skelton said.
Lois Kloston was born in Joliet, Ill., on Sept. 2, 1928, and moved with her family to Dubuque, Iowa.
Her parents, Peter and Linnea Kloston, founded Betty Jane Candies, which is still operating in Dubuque.
On a visit to Greece, Lois Kloston got up and sang in a nightclub. A customer, John Mich opoulos, a Greek military officer, decided on the spot he wanted to marry her.
“My mother was a dead ringer for Rita Hayworth,” Andy Mich opoulos said.
John Michopoulos resigned his military commission, followed her to Dubuque and married her in 1949. They joined the family candy business, but soon Michopoulos wanted his own business.
He had been to Colorado Springs and decided that was the place to relocate.
They opened Michelle’s in 1952 on South Tejon Street and two years later moved it to North Tejon Street. All the locations had full restaurant menus.
In addition to her son, Lois Mich opoulos is survived by another son, James Michopoulos of Colorado Springs, and five grandchildren.
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com
