Contents of Cero’s Candies to be auctioned, which seems to be the end of the business

It appears an auction of the contents of Cero’s Candies is all that remains of the business, which has been a Wichita fixture since 1885.

Last fall, Betty Albrecht explained that she was closing the Cero’s storefront but said the business would live on from her home in Newton starting this spring.

That doesn’t seem to have happened. Now, McCurdy Auction is having an online auction for the contents of the former store at 1328 E. Douglas.

“I’m just getting rid of some equipment, that’s all,” Albrecht said when first contacted on Monday.

Except building owner Rodney Horton said she’s not the one having the auction, he is.

“She just abandoned everything,” he said.

“We’ve tried everything possible. We made every attempt to get a hold of her.”

Horton said he can’t show his building to other businesses to lease with Albrecht’s things in it.

In addition to rent that Horton said he’s owed, he said he’s incurred legal fees, storage costs and now auction fees.

“It’s horrible,” he said. “I’m in a big hole here. . . . I can’t store stuff for free on the best street in Wichita.”

Horton said when he couldn’t reach Albrecht, he ran legal ads advising that he would have an auction.

“I’ve been more than fair.”

When The Eagle reached Albrecht Monday, she said she was driving and couldn’t talk but would later. She then didn’t answer several calls for comment.

Horton said if there is any money left after his expenses have been met through the auction, he will turn it over to Albrecht.

He said he’s looking forward to leasing the space, which in recent years was perhaps best known for being the first Monica’s Bundt Cake site.

“It’s got an amazing kitchen,” Horton said. “Something cool could go there.”

There are more than 120 items in the auction, which is online now. There’s a preview of items at the former store on Tuesday from 2 to 5 p.m.

Items include candy molds, kitchen equipment, work tables, decor, shelves and carts.

Bidding ends at 2 p.m. Thursday, and items will be available to be picked up on Friday.

This story was originally published September 1, 2020 at 4:47 AM.