By Betsy Erickson
Nuts for nuts, chocolates, or candies? Wichita certainly is. The Nifty Nut House has thrived there for 73 years.
The Nifty Nut House is famous across the United States for its freshly roasted 
nuts, and wide variety of candies. Rose Andrews, the store manager, says that it is the excellent customer service and products that have kept people coming back. Customers come from all over the United States- “all over from New York to California, if people are in the area, they will stop,” says Andrews. In the midst of economic depression, the dust bowls, and the world wars, Ed and Gus Muckenthaler started the nut house back in 1937 at 155 N. Broadway in Wichita as a shop with nuts, chocolate, and orange juice- all made in-house.
When Ed was drafted into the military, his wife, daughter, and son-in-law carried the business. Upon his return, Ed bought a nut wholesale business, and his business became a wholesale and retail operation and moved to 312 E. Murdock.
In the 1970’s, Ed Muckenthaler wanted to retire, and Ron Jahn, his nephew, bought the Nifty Nut House in 1973. Jahn expanded the retail business of the Nifty Nut House by adding three counters and selling their candies, nuts, and chocolates from bulk bins- the format of the store today.
The expansion of the retail business required a move to their current location- 537 N. St. Such a move gave them twice the amount of space and more parking. Jahn’s son, Steve Jahn, took over the store in 1994. Expansions in 2003 caused the store to triple in size.
The technique of hand-roasting nuts has been passed down from Muckenthaler through the family since its opening. Andrews says “there is a technique knowing when to pull the nuts out.” Muckenthaler bought raw nuts and processed them himself using coconut oil. In 1965, Muckenthaler told Billboard that it served him well financially to buy raw nuts and then process them himself because the nuts were fresher than those delivered from out of state. In 1965, Muckenthaler also told Billboard that he roasted 700-800 pounds daily without any help.
Now, the store roasts 600 pounds per day solely as a retail operation. Around the December holidays, they roast more than 20,000 pounds a day. Coconut oil is still used for the roasting. They store nuts in the cold and order in smaller amounts to maintain freshness. Cashews, for example, come vacuum sealed and 8,000 pounds at a time.
The Nifty Nut House carries more than 2,000 other items such as dried veggie chips, candy cigars, all types of dried fruits, fried green peas, seventy-two flavors of jelly beans, colored sunflower seeds, zots, and frizzies.
Everything that Muckenthaler sold was made in house, but now only the nuts are roasted in house. Coming from numerous vendors, the other items are packaged and sold. “This is like an adult candy store- people feel like kids all over again,” Andrews said.
Ceiling-high shelves full of candy fill the store. Bulk bins hold nuts and trail mixes. The aroma of chocolate and sugar drift through the 13,300 square foot room, according to the Wichita Business Journal.
Andrews testifies the lure of the shop. “I hardly ever get something negative,” She says. She loves the positive atmosphere of the store, and the employees contribute to this light-hearted atmosphere by having fun. They perform line dances to “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” during the December holidays, and wear festive accessories during others.
The staff desires that the customer has the best experience possible. Customers can sample before they buy. When regular customers make a trail mix of several single items like nuts, Andrews also pays attention. She will put it together as a trail mix in the bulk bins. The wasabi party mix, nifty trail mix, and the grand granola mix are all her creations.
Steve Jahn’s goal is to take care of the customers — something the Jahn family has been doing so for three generations.
