Linda (Dugan) Armes
Class of 1977
Posted on November 6, 2023
As a child, Linda (Dugan) Armes’ (’77) favorite thing to do was help her grandmother make candy, cookies, and desserts for the holidays. They would spend time together wrapping pralines in waxed paper and pulling taffy until it was light and creamy, and this sparked a lifelong passion inside of Linda that continues to this day. She is currently the owner of The Olive Leaf and Bloomington Chocolate Company in Bloomington, IN.
During her time at Heritage, Linda enjoyed her involvement in the fine arts program. In fact, one of her fondest memories is of the band and choir concerts and drama productions.
After graduation, Linda went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in theatre and drama from Indiana University. Before jumping in full-time on her culinary adventures, she was a “homeschooling mom of seven,” which she calls “the highest calling of all.” Still, it was her skills and passion for culinary arts that led her to compete in and win an Emeril Live contest on Food Network. She recalls that it was after her appearance on Food Network that friends and family began encouraging her to find a way to turn her culinary skills into a business and “that’s when I began making chocolate truffles for the holidays,” Linda said.
Linda embarked on her formal chocolate-making education by taking classes and learning everything she could about different kinds of chocolates, creating recipes, and evaluating fillings. In 2010, she began selling her chocolate creations at a local Farmer’s Market, and soon after several retail stores began selling her products in their stores. “After creating a best-selling Dark Chocolate Balsamic Truffle for a local Olive Oil store, I decided to purchase The Olive Leaf in Bloomington and combine both businesses into one retail space.”
“Attending Heritage Christian School impacted my entire life by teaching me to integrate my relationship with God into everything that I do and every part of my life.”
Throughout every step of her journey, Linda has known and felt God’s companionship and guidance. She is currently introducing a line of olive oil-based skincare, which she plans to scale up and launch nationally.