Chocolate Factory good for mental health by Arthur Pines, Outpost Staff Related Articles: Day Tripping Cracker Box Genoa Walley's Hot Springs Cutthroat Saloon Grover Hot Springs Overland Hotel   The Chocolate Nugget Candy Factory is difficult to miss when driving south The prospector will find chocolate before gold here. Photo by Arthur Pines. on Highway 395 toward Carson City. In addition to the large wooden sign for the factory, the Claims Stake Prospector, an 18-foot statue slightly to the north of the building, stands as a dedication to the people who built Nevada. The factory adopted the statue several years ago from a closed-down casino in Sparks because it looked similar to the store's prospector logo. For 30 years, the family-owned shop has cranked out delicious homemade candies like fudge, chocolate and brittle. The fudge is world famous. Chocolate candies run $11.90 per pound. When you walk in the store, the smell of sweets fills the air. Beware, the yummy candies will tempt you to turn your calorie counter off for the day. Thank the lord for days off. I also like just browsing through the gift shop, which has the usual tacky cards, travel guides and unneeded future garage sale trinkets typical of many roadside gift shops. Some signs are hard to miss, not this one. Photo by Arthur Pines An old candy maker sits on the porch next to a wall covered with written bulletins proclaiming the health benefits of candy consumption. To get there: Go south from downtown Reno on Highway 395 for 25 minutes. The store is on right side of the road in Washoe Valley. Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. (702) 849-0841.       copyright 12/10/97 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost Nevada Outpost is produced by students at the Reynolds School of Journalism, University of Nevada, Reno Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost  TOP