With Finals Week coming up next week, a little chocolate might make it better — especially if that chocolate is gluten-free.
Goody’s, an old-fashioned candy store, opened its doors on Friday, June 1 in the Fifth Street Public Market. A grand opening will happen Friday, June 8th. Starting now and ending at the end of September, University students and faculty can receive a 15 percent discount by showing their University ID. @@http://goodyschocolates.com/locations@@
Marne and Marion Palmateer first created the business in 1984 in Sunriver out of their home, but due to popularity, they found themselves opening  a store in the Sunriver Village Mall. They then opened three stores in Bend (including a factory), Prineville and Boise, Idaho. All of the chocolates and ice cream is made in the Goody’s factory in Bend. @@http://goodyschocolates.com/about-goodys@@
The chocolate produced by Goody’s is 100 percent without preservatives or wax.  The company doesn’t refrigerate their chocolates in order to not change the appearance of the chocolate, and most all of the chocolates are gluten free.
In June 2007, Jvon Danforth and her husband Dane bought the company and continued to make the same historic chocolate.
“We test every batch,” Danforth said. “We make sure it meets our standard before it goes out the doors.”

The couple make it known that the chocolate and ice cream are gluten free. Instead of using oat flour or flour in the caramels and truffles, the company uses cocoa powder, which contains no gluten. @@http://goodyschocolates.com/about-chocolate@@
Danforth said that the company gets lots of customers that ask about the gluten-free products and are happy about it.
“It’s nice to know they don’t have to give it up,” Danforth said.
Goody’s chose Eugene to open their first store in the Willamette Valley because the City of Eugene specifically sought them out.  The city was familiar with the company because of the Sunriver store.
Eugene has several restaurants and stores that are gluten-free or have a special gluten-free menu, including Cafe Yumm, Go Healthy Cafe, Sweet Basil, McMenamins and Glenwood. @@http://www.cafeyumm.com/faq.html#ingredients@@ @@http://www.gohealthycafe.com/@@ @@http://www.sweetbasileug.com/@@ @@http://www.mcmenamins.com/@@ @@http://www.glenwoodrestaurants.com/@@
Cafe Yumm is a firm supporter of gluten-free foods. According to the director of a Eugene restaurant, they are developing various menus that cater to gluten allergies as well as any other kind of allergy. The company makes it a point in their business practice to find alternative foods for gluten-filled products and migrate towards them, he said.
All in all, Eugene is a gluten-free friendly town, making the addition of Goody’s a plus.
“We’re excited to be in Eugene,” Danforth said. “We’re big Duck supporters.”