In 1971 a young woman from Berwyn graduated from Morton West High School. Unsure what she wanted to do, she stayed home and helped her family for the next two years. Today we would call them “gap years.”
In 1973 she came to Riverside and applied for a job at Aunt Diana’s Old-Fashioned Fudge. She got the job, and this year Patty Miglore celebrates 50 years at the shop.
New to the village in the 1970s, the shop in Riverside was owned by Jerry Gits who grew up in Riverside. Miglore learned the art of making chocolate from Gits and over the years has brought her own special touch to the special sweet treats.
As the years went on, Miglore assumed more responsibility in the shop as Gits moved to Indiana and passed away. Auntie Patty, as she is affectionately known, assumed even more of the day-to-day duties of running the shop.
High school students she employed now return to visit with families of their own. The prom pictures and other milestones can be evidenced on a board in the back of the store.
According to Miglore, her customers have been very supportive and that was proved when she was chosen Riverside’s Person of the Year for 2014 by the Riverside Township Lions Club.
Over 100 people filled the Riverside Golf Club to honor her and hear her friend Carol Kraus say some heartfelt and witty words about Riverside’s favorite business person.
Over the years, Auntie Patty has shown her creative side with her chocolate designs for holidays. She also lends personal touches in chocolate for people throwing parties. Her holiday windows show only a small sampling of what is inside the store on its shelves. There are Santas in all sizes as well as chocolate houses, each individually decorated.
It is with appreciation we salute Auntie Patty for 50 years of being what makes a good business. Stop by and wish her the best and she will greet you with a smile.
Asked if she had anything special to say, she replied, “Where else can I show up in sweats, T-shirts, and gym shoes?”
No dress code! Thanks to Patty Miglore for taking that big step 50 years ago and coming to Riverside and Aunt Diana’s. You and your hard work have been appreciated. By the way, have you tried her popcorn? Can you imagine how many apples she has dipped over the years? A lot!
