About Candy Bouquets of Columbia

Candy Bouquets of Columbia is a small business located in Columbia, Missouri that offers stunning candy arrangements using premium chocolates and creative decorative materials.  It was founded by Dana Van Cleave with the help and support of her family.

How We Got Started

The following is written by Dana Van Cleave, Founder and Owner of Candy Bouquets of Columbia

I came to Columbia not with an entrepreneurial spirit, but for the purpose of studying at the University of Missouri.  I received my degree and married my college sweetheart—Chuck Van Cleave.  After working for several years in Columbia, MO we realized we lived in a really fantastic community and decided to call Columbia our home.  Soon, we were blessed with a son.  With busy and demanding professional lives, we decided to search for business opportunities that would allow the flexibility for me to be at home with our son, Chas.  In 1999, I founded Designs by Dana.  At that time, the business focus was on floral arranging and interior design.  Although this allowed for creativity and flexibility, I felt that Columbia needed something unique.  My mother and I started experimenting with candy bouquets and found that people loved them!  My mother, Chas and I had a blast participating in the Missouri Craft Show circuit, meeting great people and creating treasured memories.  Chas was always with us.  Undoubtedly, it was a dream come true!

Candy Bouquets is Growing Again 

As our son grew, so did our business.  The craft show days faded as our wholesale business expanded.  My father and Chuck continued to provide ideas to increase production, while mother and daughter became experts at making the candy kiss flowers that became the hallmark of our designs.  My uncle delivered truckloads of goods from South Dakota while nieces and nephews provided encouragement.  It was truly a family affair.

Today, our business is once again transforming.  Through CandyBouquetsColumbia.com we are able to offer our unique arrangements from our family to yours with a click of a mouse.  We hope that you enjoy the convenience of shopping online. If there is anything we can do to make this experience more pleasurable, please do not hesitate to contact us.