Like the Easter bunny this time of year, business at a Grove City candy store is hopping. And that leaves Dorothy and Joe Costello of Sharpsville jumping for joy.

"We know so many people in Grove City," said Mrs. Costello, who along with her husband owns Costello Candies on Broad Street. "We've been here so long it's like home over here."

The downtown sweet-shop business has been in the Grove City area for 46 years. While their chocolate factory is based in Girard, Ohio, along with a second candy store, Mrs. Costello said their Grove City store is special because that is where their business began.

"My husband went to school and was apprenticed and opened up in Grove City. The store was on Elm Street, then Main Street, all over town," she said. "We always had to go where the space was available because the business was getting bigger and we always needed the space. By 1978, we ran out of manufacturing space here."

That and the fuel shortage at the time forced the family to move the factory into a former theater in Girard, Ohio.

"My husband didn't think it would be right to use oil to heat the building. He thought it wouldn't be good for the chocolate because chocolate picks up the flavor of any scent it's around."

So with the factory in one place and the original store in another, the couple works apart.

"He goes one way and I go the other way. It works out just fine," she said, noting her husband makes the chocolates in the factory. "He keeps the quality up with his candy. He's very particular about the candy."

Chocolate isn't their only passion.

"I golf every day in the summer and work every day in the winter," she said. "I work at golfing as much as I can (in the winter). I do putt in the house. My husband thinks I overdo it, but he's pretty happy about golfing himself," she said.

But right now their primary emphasis is on chocolate.

"You know the last week before Easter always starts the very busy, busy time even though its warm outside," Mrs. Costello said, noting the store is open until 8 p.m. daily this week. "We're inundated. People want eggs, bunnies, toys, baskets filled."

She explained that the variety of toys and collectible items are popular for those parents who prefer to fill up baskets with something other than candy.

Still, chocolates are the main basket fillers.

"We are known for our meltaways and caramel eggs," she said. "We have meltaway everything. The meltaways are probably one of our biggest sellers. We use pure chocolate. We don't use any artificial ingredients in the creams."

She said business has not suffered during the economic downturn.

"Actually our business never goes down in bad times because sometimes people who want to do something nice, they go for small-ticket items. I think its because candy's a feel-good thing," Mrs. Costello said. "Besides the regular Easter candy boxes, we have boxes with flags for a pound, and a half pound. We are selling a lot more of those because of the war. It's a really nice box -- a red, white and blue box, really a favorite," Mrs. Costello said.

"People know our candy and they're very loyal to us. It's wonderful. Grove City is a very nice town. It gives you a very warm feeling when you have customers come year after year. I enjoy people and that's the way Joe is too. I love to meet them and I love to talk to them and I like it when they recognize me. I smile and say hello."

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Sherris Moreira-Byers at sbyers@sharonherald.com