Tucked in the City of Newburgh on Broadway sits Commodore Chocolatier, a family-owned candy and chocolate shop that’s been in business there for 85 years.

John Courtsunis and his son, Gus, operate the shop and have kept it afloat during the pandemic.

"It's been OK. We've been OK," John Courtsunis said.

They do most of their business during the holidays, handcrafting chocolates and seasonal candies.

"We're here until 11 at night, till midnight, sometimes," John Courtsunis said.

On Thursday, the father and son made a batch of artisan candy canes and pillow candies. They poured a boiling hot sugar mixture onto a marble table and kneaded and prodded the candy until it was the perfect consistency. They added peppermint oil and dye to create the canes' iconic stripes.

"We always say, give the gift that’s always in good taste, the one that they’ll be delighted to receive, and won't have to exchange because it’s the wrong size, wrong color, or just wrong," John Courtsunis said. "A gift from Commodore Chocolatier, there's no better gift for the holidays."

Thousands of businesses have closed in New York since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But John Courtsunis said many customers are going out of their way to support small businesses like his through this difficult time.

"Everyday, somebody comes in and is like, 'I've heard about your shop, I've never been here before,' and they come and they sample the product and hopefully they like it," John Courtsunis said. "Most of them have come back and keep coming back."

Many customers said they prefer Commodore's candy over what they could buy at big box stores.

"People come here and you can get a box of chocolates that were made a week ago," John Courtsunis said. "I mean, that’s incredible when you think that most products on the shelves were made a year ago."

He said it was too early to tell if this holiday season will be as successful as previous years, but it’s their passion for candy that keeps them going.

"What made us keep doing this, I don’t know, but now we've been doing it so long, it’s wonderful," John Courtsunis said. "This work has filled my wildest dreams. You can't imagine how exciting this work is."