Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Christine Messina completed her primary and secondary education in Coral Springs, Florida, where she excelled as a softball and soccer player. She subsequently relocated to Austin, Texas, where she studied business and marketing at the University of Texas. After graduating with a bachelor of business administration degree, Christine Messina served as a branding and event marketing professional with several large corporations. In 2013, she opened The Candy Jar.
Under Ms. Messina’s ownership, The Candy Jar offers more than 2,000 varieties of confections and chocolates, including a number of artisan chocolate bars that are made in the Austin area. The store also sells classic New Orleans snowballs, a mixture of finely shaved ice and homemade syrups in a variety of flavors. To accommodate customers who can’t visit the store in person, Christine Messina launched a "Sugar Rush Club" that delivers specially selected sweets across the United States.
