GLENDALE, AZ — With 27 other cities in the U.S. sharing the same name, Glendale has worked hard to stand apart—honoring its history while looking toward the future.
"I remember being 8 years old, and you guys taught me how to decorate candy," recalled Tony Cerreta walking with his father, Jerry, inside the Cerreta Candy Company Factory.
Crafting the perfect chocolate is a lot like building the perfect city: the right ingredients, patience, and a dash of optimism go a long way.
This story is part of ABC15's Voice of the Voter series, where we're highlighting voter perspectives from communities all across Arizona. To see more Voice of the Voter coverage, click here.
"You know, when days are good, you have a piece of candy. When days are a little on edge, you have a piece of candy," said Jerry.
For 56 years, the Cerreta Candy Company has called Historic Downtown Glendale home. It's a family-run business that is now transitioning into the hands of a new generation.
"I can’t fill their shoes. I’m just blessed to work behind them," said Tony, who works alongside his father. Together, they've witnessed Glendale’s transformation from a small town of 60,000 to a bustling city of over 260,000. Where fields once stretched in the early 20th century, neighborhoods and businesses—like Cerreta’s—now flourish.
"Passing on our traditions to other families has been fantastic," Tony said.
"Let’s face it, you don’t want the olden days. You want to stay fresh," Jerry added.
The completion of the Loop 101 freeway in the early 2000s helped put Glendale on the map, along with the development of its sports and entertainment district, attracting new customers to businesses.
“Our goal was to utilize the 101 freeway to bring revenue and economic development into the city and make it a destination,” said Elaine Scruggs, who served as Glendale’s mayor from 1993 to 2013.
Thanks to that vision, Glendale now hosts major economic events like the Super Bowl and has become home to a new resort that is expected to generate billions in tax revenue when it's completed.
"When opportunity comes, you have to seize it, or it's gone forever," Scruggs said.
Balancing big business with local flavor will be key moving forward, along with ensuring affordable housing, good wages, and investment in the community.
“We get in, we work hard, we’re friends with our neighbors. If a tree falls down, we all come together to fix it,” Tony said.
It’s an attitude that hasn’t changed in Glendale and a spirit that continues to make it, as he puts it, a pretty sweet place to live.
