The greatest candy store in every US state, ranked

The sweetest things

From cute family-run spots to huge spaces filled with every sugary treat imaginable, America’s candy stores feed our sweet teeth and our nostlagia. Whether you’re looking for brilliant bonbons or seeking out childhood favorites, read on for our guide to the best candy store in every state.

Ready for a sugar rush? Click or scroll through our roundup of America's most incredible candy stores, counting down to the best of all. 

Our ranking is based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the opinions of our well-traveled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

50. California: Brandini Toffee, Palm Springs

Brandini Toffee has been given the seal of approval by both Martha Stewart and Oprah, which suggests it must be doing something right. Founded in 2006 by Brandon Weimer and a friend to help fund a school trip to Italy, Brandini came to life thanks to an outpouring of community support. This toffee store prides itself on using premium ingredients and focusing on 'doing things the right way, not the easy way,' and it certainly shows in the final product.

49. Rhode Island: Candy4Pennies, Providence

As its name suggests, at Candy4Pennies you can purchase your candy by the piece, rather than by the pound (and it's one of the only places in the state you can do so). The store prides itself on offering visitors not just great value for money, but an unforgettable experience, too – and the walls here are lined with buckets teeming with colorful candy, as well as an impressive selection of chocolate and carefully curated gift boxes. Customers love the nostalgic throwbacks and child-friendly atmosphere.

48. Wisconsin: Goody Goody Gum Drop Candy Kitchen, Wisconsin Dells

With an aesthetic that resembles a charming old-school diner, Goody Goody Gum Drop Candy Kitchen embodies that winning combination of nostalgia and choice, offering truffles, caramels, gummies, hard candy, rock candy, lollipops, popcorn, and more. It’s the largest candy store in Wisconsin with more than 1,000 varieties of candy, and it's a huge hit with the locals. Those in the know recommend planning ahead and ordering your Christmas candy from here.

47. Oklahoma: Pinkitzel, Oklahoma City and Edmond

Renowned for its whimsically decorated stores and ornate interiors – as well as its beautifully presented cupcakes, macarons, truffles, and candy – a visit to one of Pinkitzel's three Oklahoma branches is a treat for both the eyes and the taste buds. For those who just can’t get enough of the sweet stuff, the candy bar catering service the company offers is a great shout for a sugar-fueled special occasion. Pinkitzel recently opened a location in McKinney, Texas, too.

46. Alabama: Three Georges Candy, Mobile

What began as a grocery store in 1866 transformed into a candy store in 1917, and this Alabama institution still trades today. Three Georges Candy was the sweet idea of – you guessed it – three Georges: Pappolamporous, Pope, and Spero, who shared a vision of offering their customers three things: candy, lunches, and a soda fountain. As a result, jambalaya and muffulettas can be accompanied by customizable milkshakes and a wide selection of candy.

45. Illinois: IT'SUGAR, Chicago

IT’SUGAR is on a mission to reinvent how we think about candy with its irreverent humor and over-the-top approach. Think cheeky gift boxes for your parole officer, dentist, or personal trainer, all loudly stamped with the brand’s proud promise of ‘Absolutely no nutritional value!’ The playful marketing has clearly struck a chord – IT’SUGAR now boasts more than 100 locations nationwide, including a massive flagship store on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. Inside, expect a wonderland of every candy imaginable, from nostalgic classics to the latest sugar-fueled trends.

44. Michigan: Doc Sweets’ Candy Company, Clawson

Michigan's largest candy retail store, Doc Sweets’ Candy Company puts nostalgia at its core, specializing in hard-to-find candies from days gone by. The slogan is 'It’s like being a kid again, only sweeter!' – and, fittingly, the company is known for its birthday gifting options, particularly its Decade Boxes, which come filled to the brim with candies popular in the decade of your choice.

43. South Carolina: The Pendleton Candy Company, Pendleton

The birthplace of the famous crispy, crunchy, peanut buttery Butterfinger, South Carolina is a state with a sweet tooth. So, a colorful cornucopia of confectionery like The Pendleton Candy Company is right at home here. This charming family-run store is the lovechild of Kimberly Blackwell – a former mortgage banker with a sweet tooth and a deep respect for her grandmother’s recipes. What began in 2023 has already become a beloved destination, with shelves brimming with salted caramel fudge, cakes, pies, and jars of childhood candy classics.

42. Nebraska: Hollywood Candy, Omaha

Boasting a pinball arcade, a 1950s-style diner, a record emporium, and a theater, as well as movie memorabilia and curios, Omaha’s Hollywood Candy is no ordinary candy shop – and the items it sells reflect that. Browse the aisles and you’ll find imported candy from Asia, Europe, and Australia, handmade fudge, and the largest selection of Jelly Belly flavors in Nebraska.

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41. Vermont: Middlebury Sweets Candy Shop & Motel, Middlebury

On the site of what used to be a struggling scrapbook store sits the thriving Middlebury Sweets Candy Shop. Vermont’s largest candy store sells more than 1,500 different varieties of candy, including penny candy, 72 types of Jelly Belly jellybeans, and the world's largest gummy bear, weighing in at 27 pounds. Should you wish to linger here for longer, there’s even a motel on site.

40. Missouri: How Sweet Is This, Clayton

A small candy store with a big personality, Missouri’s award-winning How Sweet Is This has something for everyone. As well as stocking a wide variety of gummies, gourmet chocolate, and nostalgic treats, this place offers up a sweet selection of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, and kosher candy, too. However, in summer, it’s the shaved ices, made with raw cane sugar and available in more than 30 different flavors, that everyone raves about.

39. Wyoming: Donells Candies, Casper

Donells Candies has been spoiling Wyoming with its sweet treats since 1956. Every small-batch treat is made on-site by three generations of candy makers, ensuring consistency and care in every bite. With timeless recipes, seasonal specialties, and exceptional customer service, Donells continues to honor the legacy that first won hearts nearly seven decades ago.

38. Hawaii: Crack Seed Store, Honolulu

It’s candy, but not as you necessarily know it. Crack seed is a popular Hawaiian snack that sees all kinds of fruits dried, salted, sugared, and simmered, with delicious – and unique – results. Honolulu Crack Seed Store specializes in a range of crack seed candy using li hing mui (or ‘traveling plum’), which is intensely sweet, sour, and salty. From chocolate rocks to pineapple belts, powdered ginger, and gummy bears, everything here is flavored by the hands of sisters Courtney Pham and Justine Mason, both born here in Honolulu.

37. South Dakota: Rushmore Candy Company, Rapid City

Rushmore Candy Company stocks everything from blast-from-the-past candies to pickles covered in chocolate (yes, really), as well as 15 flavors of handmade ice cream and around 50 types of soda. The hot chocolate sold here is also very good, and the Sweet Greens Mini Golf Course (located on the same site) is well worth checking out. The company also has a sister store, Candyland, in Three Forks. 

36. Massachusetts: Ye Olde Pepper Companie, Salem

Billed as ‘America’s oldest candy company,' Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie has been around since 1806 and is most famous for its Gibralters and Black Jacks. That said, you’ll find a tempting assortment of other vintage candies here – lemon drops, sour worms, fruit slices, and horehound slugs included.

35. Montana: Candy Town USA, Billings

The largest candy store and soda shop in Montanta goes big when it comes to variety, stocking over a thousand different items. Included in that selection are 14 flavors of homemade fudge, gourmet caramel apples, pecan turtles, sour gummies, and Slo Poke suckers, as well as more modern offerings. Candy Town's ‘Great Wall of Gummies’ (pictured) is a sugar lover's dream, while the retro soda fountain just adds to the appeal.

34. Tennessee: Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen, Gatlinburg

Some of the best candy stores in the US have a time-capsule feel about them, and Ole Smoky Candy Kitchen is no exception. It's a family business established back in 1950 by Dave and Peggy Dych, and all the goodies on sale here are prepared by hand, the traditional way. Even better, visitors can witness the production process before tucking in.

33. Texas: Big Top Candy Shop, Austin

Everything is bigger in Texas, so the saying goes, and this candy shop in Austin supports that claim, with around 3,000 wrapped candies in its inventory. Not one for modesty, the Big Top Candy Shop proudly refers to itself as 'The Most Amazing Candy Store The World Has Ever Known.' Whether that’s absolutely true or not, it’s considered by many to be the very best in Texas, thanks in no small part to its soda fountain, excellent ice cream sundaes, floats, and milkshakes, as well as its delicious fine chocolates.

32. Georgia: Savannah's Candy Kitchen, Savannah and Atlanta

Cream. Sugar. Butter. Pecans. Any one of those ingredients is delicious in its own right, but, when combined, they become something truly memorable. At Savannah's Candy Kitchen, a Georgia institution for around 50 years, co-owner Jennifer Strickland prides herself on providing a fun, family-friendly atmosphere centered around pralines. You can not only watch the magic happen (and the candies being made), but you can also be talked through the process by the enthusiastic staff. Oh, and they also give away free samples. There are two locations in Savannah, plus an outpost at Atlanta Airport.

31. Delaware: Snyder's Candy, Rehoboth Beach

Snyder’s Candy in Rehoboth Beach has been around since 1940, when customers flocked here to enjoy fountain drinks. The store has moved locations a few times since then, but a devotion to stocking an impressive array of candy remains; you'll discover freeze-dried candy for the astronaut in you here, as well as a section filled with treats from Japan (including Japanese versions of American candies).

30. Mississippi: The Candy Cottage, Ocean Springs

Despite being renowned across the state for its Pecan Logs (prepared using the finest of ingredients and according to an original 1930s recipe), The Candy Cottage sells plenty of other classic candy, too. Handmade chocolate turtles are the stuff of local legend, there's a good line in kid-friendly treats (think rock candy sticks in a rainbow of colors), and the chocolate-covered potato chips are a must-try.

29. West Virginia: True Treats Historic Candy, Harpers Ferry

Sure, there are some candy stores that organize their offerings by decade, but True Treats Historic Candy takes things one step further and goes by century, creating treats inspired by the various nuts and spices that arrived in the West from the 1500s to the 1900s. Among its various offerings, you’ll find the likes of a Biblical Sample Box, an Abolitionist Sugar Sampler, and a Colonial Grog Kit.

28. New Jersey: Black River Candy Shoppe, Chester

Named one of the top 50 candy stores in the US by Food Network Magazine, Black River Candy Shoppe has a reputation as mighty as its trove of candies. While the vibe inside is very much evocative of a vintage candy store, the treats on offer span the years in delicious style, with plenty of modern confections. The selection of English ‘sweets’ is particularly noteworthy.

27. Virginia: The Candy Store, Roanoke

Loved by locals, the walls of The Candy Store in Roanoke are lined with classic glass jars containing all sorts of hard candies and gummies. If you’re more of a chocolate fiend, the sizable assortment of handmade chocolates will more than satisfy cravings, while the fine selection of sodas is the perfect accompaniment. For those that prefer imported candy, The Candy Store carries a range of European favorites, too.

26. Alaska: Sweet Darlings, Seward

Seward’s first candy store was opened in 1908 by Hugh Darling’s grandmother, Emma Jean – and today, it's run by Hugh and his wife Iris. Sweet Darlings sells everything from chocolate turtles, jar chocolates, and candies, to barks, kettle fudge, and even popcorn. It's the traditionally made gelato (inspired by Hugh’s travels to Italy) that really gets people talking, though.

25. Washington: Bright's Candies, Walla Walla

Nestled in the heart of historic Walla Walla, Bright’s Candies has been delighting sweet-toothed visitors since 1934. Step inside and you’ll spy traditional copper kettles bubbling with caramel corn, display cases brimming with handmade fudge and chocolates, and nostalgic licorice and hard candy lining the walls. Under the stewardship of Paul and Tiffany Jenes (owners since 1996), family recipes and old-school techniques remain central to its charm. In 2025, Bright’s was voted the number two candy store in America by USA Today readers – testament to its timeless appeal.

24. Arizona: Sweeties Candy, Chandler

A 13,000-square-foot treasure trove, Sweeties Candy has been run by the same family for more than 60 years. While many stores embrace either nostalgia or modernity with their goods, Sweeties insists on doing both with the guarantee that, if a candy is still made today, the shop will stock it. Sweeties doesn't take its trade lightly, fulfilling bulk orders by the pound and backing up its motto: 'For a piece or a pound, or 1/2 ton, shop Sweeties Candy for a big bag of sweet fun.'

23. Oregon: Bruce's Candy Kitchen, Cannon Beach

Husband-and-wife team Bruce and Treva Haskell opened Bruce's Candy Kitchen in 1963, and it remains in the family today. Beyond the pink-and-white striped storefront, all kinds of handmade treats await (visit at the right moment and you’ll be able to sample them while still warm). Specialties include Cannon Beach Peanut Butter Brittle and award-winning Love Bugs.

22. Utah: Hatch Family Chocolates, Salt Lake City

Hatch Family Chocolates emphasizes quality over quantity, and boy, does that mantra serve it well. From truffles to salted caramel pretzel sticks, not forgetting Oreos enrobed in chocolate, the hand-dipped treats sold here are nothing short of exquisite. Not in the mood for chocolate? There are cakes, pies, and ice cream, too.

21. Idaho: Goody's Soda Fountain & Candy Store, Boise

Goody's Soda Fountain & Candy Store was established in Oregon in 1984 by Marne and Marion Palmateer. Now located in Boise, and in its third generation of ownership, all the chocolate and ice cream at this cute retro spot is handmade, with new concoctions being churned out all the time. That said, you really can’t go wrong with a traditional sundae, served in a glass dish and topped with whipped cream, hot fudge, and that all-important cherry on top.

20. Nevada: Chocolate Nugget Candy Factory, Washoe City

The promise of gold once took prospectors to remote, far-flung parts of America. Today, it’s the promise of candy. Chocolate Nugget Candy Factory in Nevada is hard to miss, thanks to the huge sign and statue of a prospector scouring the horizon. Although it opened in 1983, it's run by third-generation candy makers who've been boxing up handcrafted selections since 1936. Be sure to try the coveted peanut brittle, which has been made the same way for more than 80 years. 

19. New Hampshire: Chutters, Littleton and Lincoln

Testament to its massive selection, Chutters in Littleton is recognized by the Guinness World Records as having the world's largest continuous candy counter. Spanning more than 110 feet – pretty much the entire length of the store – the counter features jar after jar of different types of candy (around 500 in total). You'll also spot gleaming cabinets filled with homemade chocolates, fudge, truffles, and more. There's a smaller location in Lincoln, too.

18. Maine: Yummies Candy & Nuts, Kittery

Yummies Candy & Nuts claims you've never seen a store like this – and, with 10,000lbs of the sweet stuff on display, it may well be right. Packed floor to ceiling with sweet treats, Yummies has silos of jellybeans, a corner devoted to nostalgic goodies known as ‘memory lane,’ and troughs of homemade fudge, as well as hard candy, chocolate bars, and stacks of roasted cashews. Something of a Maine institution, it even sells its own line of merch.

17. Minnesota: Candyland, St. Paul

Established in 1932 as a small business selling popcorn and fudge under the name ‘Flavo Korn,’ by 1950 this company had developed a whole line of candies – and, rather aptly, changed its title to Candyland. While it's most famous for its Chicago Mix popcorn (a blend of caramel and Cheddar cheese flavors), Candyland also makes fantastic hand-dipped chocolates and classic candies such as jellies, barks, and brittles. The original shop in St. Paul is beloved by locals and visitors alike.

16. Florida: Sweet Pete's Candy, Jacksonville

Resembling a fun house retrofitted to sell candy, Sweet Pete’s in Jacksonville curates seasonal displays capable of giving Macy’s a run for its money. Amid the gummies, lollies, customizable slabs of chocolate, and more, there’s also a restaurant serving fast food favorites (hot dogs, burgers, fries, and the like). Sweet Pete’s prides itself on offering 'traditional candy with a modern twist,' and it emphasizes the candy shop as an experience in itself, offering to host not just candy-making classes, but full-on field trips.

15. Maryland: The Itsy Bitsy Candy Store, North East

The Itsy Bitsy Candy Store is a diminutive, totally charming cottage that houses a deceptive volume of candy. Here the walls are lined with handmade chocolates, hard candy, caramels, and sweet pretzels in all flavors, as well as mints, edible bark, and some more unusual items, such as CBD-infused chocolates. The same company also operates a chocolate therapy suite nearby.

14. Colorado: Georgetown Valley Candy Co, Georgetown

Tucked into a quaint historic street in Georgetown, this family-run candy emporium charms visitors with old-fashioned craftsmanship and warm hospitality. Since 1979, the team has churned out small-batch caramels, hard candies, fudge, and popcorn using traditional methods. The shop also boasts more than 170 in-house confections – from spice-infused chocolates to peanut brittle – and generous scoops of ice cream to sweeten your stay. Locals and travelers alike linger over tasting flights and nostalgic treats, making this Rocky Mountain gem worth the detour.

13. Iowa: Palmer's Olde Tyme Candy Store, Sioux City

For around 150 years and across five generations, Palmer Candy in Sioux City has been making candy. Fittingly, nostalgic treats are the focus here; customers can scoop up the likes of peppermint creams, chocolate-covered peanuts, and Swedish Fish before exploring the small on-site museum with its retired candy-making equipment and vintage photographs. The gifting options are great, too – think gourmet truffles and beautifully wrapped nougat. 

12. North Carolina: The Candy Factory, Lexington

Another temple to nostalgia, The Candy Factory in Lexington houses candy by the bucketload. It was opened in 1978 by second-generation candy maker Robert Ebelein, who began by selling pure stick candy and mint puffs, as well as fudge and peanut brittle. The Candy Factory is now owned by Wynn and Annette Conrad, but the store’s aesthetic remains untouched, offering a clear nod to yesteryear. Its Red Bird Puffs and Red Bird Sticks are still among the most popular items on sale.

11. Connecticut: Munson's Chocolates, various locations

From humble beginnings in 1946, Munson’s Chocolates has grown to eight locations across Connecticut. Originally, the founders aimed to find creative and delicious ways to work with limited sugar rations, but today Munson’s embraces modern indulgence with its sprawling range of candy. High standards and a commitment to sustainability remain central to the company, which prioritizes the welfare of its cocoa farmers and works to minimize environmental impact and food waste; discounted sweet scraps are even bagged and sold as 'Munson Mash-Ups.'

10. Louisiana: Loretta's Authentic Pralines, New Orleans

Loretta Harrison of Loretta's Authentic Pralines was the first African American woman to own and operate a praline business in New Orleans. She did so for 35 years, until she passed away in 2022, and in that time she won both The People's Choice and Judge’s Award at The Beignet Festival in City Park. Celebrated as a philanthropist within the New Orleans community, her motto was simply: "As the generations continue to change, the praline business stays the same." Today, customers travel from far and wide to sample pralines prepared according to her original recipes.

9. Indiana: Schimpff's Confectionery, Jeffersonville

The Schimpff family of Schimpff's Confectionery in Jeffersonville have been producing candy since 1850, and they continue to do so today, giving the term ‘blood sugar’ a whole new meaning. Current owners Warren and Jill have curated not so much a candy store as an actual time capsule; big glass jars containing technicolor treats jostle for space among vast display cabinets filled with chocolates. Schimpff's is so important in the confectionery world that it featured on The History Channel’s Modern Marvels in 2005.

8. Pennsylvania: Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop, various locations

This Pittsburgh-born candy store has blossomed into a regional favorite, with more than a dozen locations across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida. Even so, the flagship shop in Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District is still the original – and many people say it's the best. Inside, walls are lined with hundreds of nostalgic sweets, candy bars, sodas, and quirky gifts, all curated by staff who live and breathe candy. The real star, though, is the World Famous $5 Candy Buffet: fill your box to the brim, lid permitting.

7. New York: Economy Candy, New York City

Founded in 1937, Economy Candy boasts such a range of goodies that you’re able to peruse its selection by decade, color, and occasion. This place goes big on modern, trendy confections and items that kids will adore (think Twix Popcorn and Froot Loop Cereal Straws), as well as offering an impressive range of imported goodies and vegetarian, vegan, and kosher candies.

6. Kansas: Nifty Nut House, Wichita

Family owned since 1937, Wichita’s Nifty Nut House is indeed crazy about candy. It's home to a vast array of sugary confections, and its specialties include Nifty Mixes (sweet and savory riffs on trail mix), gourmet-flavored nuts available by the pound, packets of gummies, and a selection of dried fruit (much of it encased in chocolate).

5. Arkansas: Kopper Kettle Candies, Fort Smith

For over a century, Kopper Kettle Candies in Fort Smith has been a powerhouse of confection. Its forefather, chocolatier Martin L. Greer, learned his craft in Texarkana, Texas, and he was so successful that Kopper Kettle Candies now has its own factory. With its red-and-white checkered floor and pared-back interior, this place dishes up a taste of the past, both in terms of the décor and the handmade chocolates on offer (some of the recipes date all the way back to the 1800s).

4. Kentucky: Muth's Candies, Louisville

Marshmallow dipped in caramel? It must be a Modjeska. This sweet was invented by Anton Busath here in Louisville over a century ago, and Muth’s Candies – established in 1921 – continues to hand-dip its Modjeskas using a caramel recipe personally handed to it by the Busath family. Customer favorites also include addictive peanut brittle, chocolate-covered Graham crackers, and toffee apples rolled in chopped pecans (a seasonal treat best enjoyed in October).

3. North Dakota: Carol Widman's Candy Co., Fargo and Grand Forks

The Widman family name has been synonymous with candy since 1885. Today they continue to satisfy the sweet-toothed, with Carol Widman's Candy Co. locations in Fargo, Grand Forks, and Crookston, Minnesota. Widman’s is famous for its Chippers (potato chips coated in chocolate, pictured), which are available in milk, dark, and white almond flavors, but it also sells more eccentric offerings, such as the sweet-salty sensation that is chocolate bacon. 

2. Ohio: b.a. Sweetie Candy, Cleveland

This Ohio candy shop specializes in nostalgic treats and is hugely popular (it racked up some 500,000 visitors in 2022, making it one of the most-visited locations in the state). If you’re a candy fiend, it’s easy to see why: the company (which markets itself as the largest candy store in the world), sources around 5,500 different items from 190 suppliers, meaning you’ll never be short of choice.

1. New Mexico: Kakawa Chocolate House, Santa Fe

New Mexico's Kakawa Chocolate House is one for the purists. While you won't find any gummy bears or popping candy at any of the three Santa Fe locations, you will discover the very finest artisanal chocolate. One-of-a-kind creations (caramels, truffles, and solid chocolate bars) are crafted by hand, using premium ingredients. Kakawa’s signature goats’ cheese and sage truffle is not to be missed, and visitors should also take the opportunity to stock up on its famous drinking chocolate elixirs.

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Last updated by Natasha Lovell-Smith.