Bernard Garbusjuk
September 2nd, 2010 | By: Fred Nystrom
Keeping the tradition alive.
(left to right) Tyson, Bernard and Narissa Garbusjuk
While the Issaquah area has grown exponentially over the past 30 years, one tiny corner at the eastern end of Gilman Boulevard has not changed a bit for more than 50 years.
The three and a half acres surrounding the Boehm’s candy store and manufacturing facility are much the same as they were when Julius Boehm decided to move his chocolates and confectionary business to Issaquah from Seattle in 1956. Having escaped his native Austria, Boehm made it to Seattle and soon followed the family tradition and opened his candy manufacturing business in 1943. He moved it all to Issaquah because the surrounding mountains reminded him of his homeland.
Boehm completed the Edelweiss Chalet in 1956 to house the retail and manufacturing of the European-style chocolates and candies. It was the first Swiss chalet constructed in the Pacific Northwest. In 1981 he had the High Alpine Chapel completed. It is a replica of a 12th-century chapel near Saint Moritz in Switzerland.
By this time Boehm’s health was failing and he was anxious that his traditional methods of making candy might be lost. Luckily, he had met another immigrant who had agreed to join his staff. Bernard Garbusjuk was displaced from his family in Germany when the Berlin Wall was erected. He immigrated to America, ending up in Kenmore as a pastry chef. His roommate had done the wooden carving on the Edelweiss Chalet, and that fortuitous connection in 1971 ensured the survival of the traditions at Boehms.
Garbusjuk comes from a line of German candy makers that goes back more than 200 years. This background made him a perfect fit to learn from Boehm and then guide the company following Julius’s death in 1981. Garbusjuk’s philosophy is to respect Boehm’s heritage and to maintain the legacy of the land, the buildings, the art, and the quality of the products.
He has made certain that the grounds are open for visitors to enjoy even if they never enter the store. Over the years, he passed on opportunities to redevelop the grounds that would have changed the legacy and traditions too much.
Garbusjuk is now passing on the Boehms heritage and traditions to his son, Tyson, and daughter, Narissa, who are learning the business from the bottom up–the old-school way. Tyson is working on plans to upgrade the grounds to accommodate the 100 people a day who go on the candy factory tours during the summer. Narissa has added a chocolate-making class.
The respect for tradition is also evident among the staff, many of whom have worked at Boehms for at least 15 years. Garbusjuk estimates that they have hired more than 2,000 high school students over the years, teaching them about not only the products, but also how to communicate with customers.
With all the changes in this area, it is gratifying to know that one small spot is staying the same.
