A car crashed smack into Minnesota’s Largest Candy store, in Jordan, Minnesota, in the early hours of Sunday morning, August 11. The point of impact was just 20 feet away from the world’s largest jigsaw puzzle, on display at the store. The Guinness-certified, 40,000-piece puzzle, with its Disney-inspired theme, was assembled by Jim Shoemaker of Minneapolis. The puzzle had been installed for display at the candy store only four days prior to the accident.
“That would’ve been a tragedy,” said Robert Wagner, owner of the store. “The gentleman donated 428 man hours to assemble it. There is only a small number of people that can take on puzzles like that.”
The puzzle is a big deal, of course, and we’re glad it had a narrow escape, but some of us care more that the car smashed into a 60-foot table holding over $50,000 worth of imported gourmet chocolate.
The candy store apparently has a sense of humor, erecting signs leading to the building saying things like, “Yes we’re open! Drive thru closed,” and “Jovan Brown I guess you could hit the broad side of a barn.” In case you had not guessed, the man responsible for the crash was Jovan Brown.
Wagner even commissioned Le Sueur, Minnesota artist Lana Beck to paint a mural of the car crash, at its point of impact.
Lucky for Jovan Brown, there were no injuries to either driver or passengers, though alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash. But Mr. Brown—why not give us a call? While the car is a write-off, you might still be able to donate the wreck to Kars4Kids to underwrite educational programs for children—a far better fate than crashing into all that chocolate for nothing.
