The Murdick family story begins in the late 1800s with Karen Ann Murdick’s great-great-grandfather, Henry Murdick, a skilled sailmaker who was commissioned along with his son, Newton Jerome “Rome” Murdick, to fabricate the iconic canvas awnings for the newly built Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. Sensing the island’s potential as a tourist destination, Henry and Rome did more than deliver on their commission. They saw an opportunity to bring something even sweeter to the shores of Lake Huron.

 

In 1887, the same year the Grand Hotel opened its doors, Henry and Rome established Murdick’s Candy Kitchen—the island’s very first fudge shop and one of the first in the state of Michigan. But the roots of the Murdick legacy stretch even deeper, back to Sara Murdick, Henry’s wife and Karen Ann’s great-great-grandmother, who had immigrated from Germany and brought with her a deep knowledge of old-world confectionery.

 

Sara was the heart of the kitchen. Before Mackinac Island, she and her family opened a small confectionery in southeast Michigan, eventually expanding north. All the while, she worked tirelessly to perfect her signature old-fashioned fudge recipe, using a precise blend of all-natural ingredients that created a mouthwatering, velvety texture still recognized today. When the Murdicks opened their island shop, Sara and her son Rome handcrafted their fudge in small batches using time-honored techniques like hand-mixing on marble slabs, a method the Murdick family actually pioneered and one that remains central to fudge making across the world today.

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Karen Ann Murdick, a fourth-generation confectioner, grew up steeped in this legacy. As a child, she watched with wide eyes as her father, Francis, brought each batch of fudge to life. The sounds, the smells, the steady rhythm of the process sparked a sense of wonder that would shape her future. What began as childhood fascination turned into a deep respect for her family’s heritage and eventually a calling of her own.

 

In addition to her deep roots in fudge making, Karen Ann has cultivated a passion for fine pastries and specialty cookies. With a trained hand and creative spirit, she has expanded her confectionery craft beyond traditional fudge, blending her background in baking with the time-honored techniques passed down through generations.

 

Today, Karen Ann carries that legacy forward with both reverence and imagination. While she remains rooted in tradition, she is also introducing her own heartfelt vision that honors the past while bringing something fresh and personal to the next chapter. From Sara’s kitchen to Karen Ann’s hands, the Murdick story continues to be written in chocolate, caramel, and cream—one handcrafted batch at a time.