When Marsha E. Smith started making and selling buckeyes, she was a stay-at-home mom working from her garage.

Twenty-four years later, she is president of Marsha’s Homemade Buckeyes at 25631 Fort Meigs Road, Suite H in Perrysburg. The manufacturer employs 25 people and makes 36,000 buckeyes treats a day, all of which are hand-dipped. The buckeyes are sent to stores that include Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Gordon Food Service, Sautter’s 5-Star Market, Schorling’s 5-Star Market and The Andersons.

Marsha said buckeyes are popular as wedding favors and graduation parties, and it’s hard to tell if sales are up because of the upcoming OSU and Michigan game or because of the holiday season.

Her husband, David L. Smith retired three years ago and serves as the chief financial officer at Marsha’s Homemade Buckeyes. Two of Smith’s children went to The Ohio State University.

“We not only make buckeyes, we are for the Buckeyes because our kids went there,” Marsha said. “We put a lot of money into OSU.”

John Kowalski, general store manager of The Andersons on Talmadge Road, said the store sells plenty of Marsha’s buckeyes for the OSU-Michigan game. They are $3.99 for a dozen.

“Sales definitely increase during game time,” he said. “Of course the Buckeyes are going to win this year so that’s a good thing.”

The Andersons has other popular food items around game time, such as pizzas with pepperoni M’s and O’s. Cookie cakes and cookies are iced with O’s and M’s.

Subs, which can be specially ordered, are another popular item and come in the shape of O’s and M’s.

“We try to get in the spirit of this and put all kind of that stuff together,” he said.

Marsha still gets into the spirit. And somehow she still enjoys working with peanut butter and chocolate.

“I really don’t smell [peanut butter and chocolate] anymore; I’m just used to them,” she said. “But I do still eat them, I like them.”

She credits the success of her business to God.

“It’s been a blessing from God, and He’s done it all,” she said. “He has given this all to us.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 13th, 2008 at 11:20 pm and is filed under Special Section, Sports.
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