Bad news for all of you classic candy lovers–the factory that makes the famous Necco wafers has closed down. It’s sad for consumers, but it’s also sad for the more than two-hundred folks who lost their jobs in the process, with many saying that the closure came about unexpectedly.

The beleaguered candymaker, the New England Confectionary Company, also produced plenty of other classic candies, such as Squirrel Nut Zippers, Slap Stix, Candy Buttons, Clark Bars, Mary Janes, and even those Valentine’s Day staples, Sweethearts.

According to reports, things have been going badly for NECCO for quite a while now. The 117-year-old business was sold to a competitor, Spangler Candy, after declaring bankruptcy earlier this year. It looked like the goal was to revive the business and focus solely on the Sweethearts candies, but the billionaire who invested in the deal ended up defaulting on his payment.

Though there was some back-and-forth on the issue of payment, the factory was ultimately sold to an undisclosed buyer who promptly closed it on July 24th.

Now, no one’s too sure just what is going to happen to the very candy that has been popular for well over a century. It’s a particularly sad situation considering that the iconic Sweethearts seem to have gotten lost in the shuffle, too. We don’t know about you, but we think Valentine’s Day just isn’t Valentines Day without those cute, little candies!

To learn even more details about the shuttering of the iconic NECCO brand, be sure to watch the video below. It’s so sad to see history getting lost forever!

We can’t wait to hear your take on NECCO’s abrupt departure. Were you a fan of the candy? If so, which color wafer was your favorite? What’s your all-time favorite candy?