Imagine a world where calories don’t count and sugar is a food group.
Welcome to Ohio’s candy wonderland, where sweet dreams come true and dentists fear to tread!
1. Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop (Miamisburg)
Step into Grandpa Joe’s, and you’ll feel like you’ve won a golden ticket to Wonka’s factory.
This brick-faced beauty in Miamisburg is a candy lover’s paradise, complete with red and white striped awnings that scream “sugar rush ahead!”
Inside, it’s a kaleidoscope of confectionery delights.
From floor to ceiling, shelves groan under the weight of every candy imaginable.
It’s like someone took your childhood dreams, dipped them in chocolate, and rolled them in sprinkles.
But wait, there’s more!
Grandpa Joe’s isn’t just about the candy.
They’ve got a soda pop selection that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance.
It’s the kind of place where you can find that obscure flavor of bubblegum you loved as a kid, right next to a gourmet chocolate bar that costs more than your first car.
2. Red Berry Candy Shop (Madison)
Nestled in Madison, the Red Berry Candy Shop is like a strawberry-flavored fever dream come to life.
This cherry-red building, complete with a white picket fence, looks like it was plucked straight out of a fairy tale about diabetes.
Inside, it’s a Jelly Belly wonderland.
The shop boasts an impressive array of these gourmet jelly beans, with flavors ranging from the delightful to the downright bizarre.
Ever wanted to taste a jelly bean that tastes like dirt? They’ve got you covered.
Prefer something more traditional? How about a handful that tastes like a full Thanksgiving dinner?
But Red Berry isn’t just about the beans.
They’ve got an assortment of candies that’ll make you feel like a kid in a… well, you know.
From nostalgic favorites to cutting-edge confections, this place is sweeter than a love letter written in maple syrup.
3. b.a. Sweetie Candy Company (Cleveland)
If Willy Wonka decided to open a warehouse instead of a chocolate factory, it might look something like b.a. Sweetie Candy Company in Cleveland.
This place is less of a candy store and more of a candy metropolis.
Walking into Sweetie’s is like entering a sweet-toothed survivalist’s bunker.
Shelves tower to the ceiling, stocked with enough sugar to survive the apocalypse in style.
It’s the kind of place where you need a map and a sherpa guide to navigate the aisles.
But the real showstopper? The larger-than-life candy mascots scattered throughout the store.
There’s a giant lollipop with a grin wider than Lake Erie, and M&M characters that look like they could bench press a vending machine.
It’s like a fever dream after binge-watching candy commercials.
4. Sweeties Candy Company (Parma)
Not to be confused with its Cleveland cousin, Sweeties in Parma is like the cool, slightly unhinged uncle of candy stores.
This place doesn’t just sell candy; it practically throws a party for it.
The warehouse-style setup might make you think you’ve wandered into a bulk buy club, but instead of toilet paper and canned goods, you’re surrounded by a tsunami of sweets.
It’s the kind of place where you can buy a single piece of candy or enough to fill a kiddie pool – no judgment either way.
But Sweeties isn’t content with just selling candy.
Oh no, they’ve turned it into an art form.
Giant candy sculptures and displays make you feel like you’ve stepped into a museum where everything is edible.
It’s the Louvre of lollipops, the Guggenheim of gummy bears.
5. Boyd’s Retro Candy Store (Toledo)
Stepping into Boyd’s Retro Candy Store in Toledo is like hitching a ride in a DeLorean made of sugar.
This hot pink time machine of a building is a beacon of nostalgia in a sea of modern convenience stores.
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Inside, it’s a blast from the past that’ll hit you harder than a sugar rush.
Remember that candy cigarette brand you thought was so cool in third grade? They’ve got it.
That bubble gum tape you used to measure your tongue with? Check.
The sour candy that made your face implode? Oh yeah, it’s there.
But Boyd’s isn’t just riding the nostalgia wave.
They’re surfing it like a pro, offering a mix of retro favorites and modern twists that’ll make both your inner child and your adult self do a happy dance.
It’s the kind of place where you can relive your childhood and create new memories, all while on a spectacular sugar high.
6. Marie’s Candies (West Liberty)
Marie’s Candies in West Liberty is like that sweet old lady in your neighborhood who always had the best treats, except it’s an entire store.
This quaint little shop, with its charming signage and inviting storefront, looks like it was plucked straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting.
But don’t let the wholesome exterior fool you.
Inside, Marie’s is a chocolate lover’s fever dream.
They specialize in hand-dipped chocolates that would make Willy Wonka himself weep with joy.
It’s the kind of place where you can watch artisans craft confections with the precision of a Swiss watchmaker and the passion of an Italian chef.
The real kicker? Marie’s has been around since 1956, proving that some things, like the perfect chocolate truffle, are timeless.
It’s a slice of Americana served on a chocolate-covered platter.
7. Suzin L. Chocolatier (Elyria)
Suzin L. Chocolatier in Elyria is like the James Bond of candy shops – sophisticated, smooth, and with a license to thrill your taste buds.
The unassuming brick exterior gives way to a world of gourmet chocolate that’ll make you question everything you thought you knew about cocoa.
Inside, it’s less of a candy store and more of a chocolate gallery.
Each piece is a work of art, crafted with the kind of attention to detail that would make Michelangelo nod in approval.
It’s the kind of place where you don’t just eat chocolate; you experience it.
But Suzin L. isn’t all about fancy-pants truffles.
They’ve got a sense of humor too.
Where else can you find chocolate tools that look real enough to fix your car, or a chocolate pizza that’ll make you rethink your Friday night takeout habits?
8. Heggy’s Candy Company (Canton)
Heggy’s Candy Company in Canton is like that overachieving kid in school who was good at everything, except instead of sports and academics, it’s all about candy.
This corner shop, with its retro signage and American flag, is as wholesome as apple pie – if apple pie was made of chocolate and caramel.
Step inside, and you’re hit with the kind of aroma that makes diet plans crumble faster than their famous brittles.
Heggy’s specializes in chocolates, caramels, and nuts, combining them in ways that’ll make you wonder if they’ve got a direct line to the sugar gods.
But the real star of the show? Their chocolate-covered potato chips.
It’s the kind of sweet-and-salty combo that’ll make your taste buds do the cha-cha.
It’s proof that sometimes, the best ideas are the ones that sound a little nutty at first.
9. All City Candy (Cleveland)
All City Candy in Cleveland is like the United Nations of sugar – a place where candies from all corners of the globe come together in sweet harmony.
The storefront, adorned with cartoon candies, looks like what would happen if a rainbow and a lollipop had a building-sized baby.
Inside, it’s a candy lover’s fever dream come to life.
The shelves are stocked with everything from classic American favorites to exotic international treats.
It’s the kind of place where you can take a world tour without ever leaving Ohio, one piece of candy at a time.
But All City Candy isn’t just about variety – it’s about volume too.
This is where you go when you need enough candy to fill a piñata the size of a small car.
Birthday party? They’ve got you covered.
Wedding favors? No problem.
Trying to bribe an entire office to like you? This is your one-stop shop.
So there you have it, folks – a sugar-coated journey through Ohio’s sweetest spots.
The table is set for adventure!
Let this map guide you to your next incredible dining destination.
Remember, life is short; eat dessert first… and second… and maybe third.