The Oldest Candy Shops In The US
There's a special kind of magic in old-timey candy, especially in these modern times. The candies our grandparents talked about with that certain sparkle in their eyes weren't mass-produced sweets rolling off some sterile assembly line like those you find at the store today. These were old-school confections, lovingly created in small batches, stirred and dipped by human hands, and born from age-old recipes families passed down for generations.
Before automated mass manufacturing reshaped the candy world, small family shops were the heart of communities. Today, sadly, precious few of these old-fashioned candy shops remain in operation. To us, they are the holdouts, carrying the torch of tradition by continuing to hand-dip chocolates, stretch ribbon candy, and shape caramels in small batches, on marble tables, just as their founders did a century or more ago.
This list is a celebration of these living pieces of candied history, a gathering of the longest-running confectioners. Join us in lauding the legendary sweetmakers who've kept the doors open all these years.
Ye Olde Pepper Companie
Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie in Salem, Massachusetts, is the oldest candy company in the United States, born in 1806 and still carrying the candy torch more than two centuries later. It's safe to say that the signature sweets here are the Salem Gibralters and Black Jacks. These are not only old-fashioned confections, but they are the oldest-fashioned — as in, Gibralters were literally the first candies ever to be sold in America!
The story behind the company's ability to endure is inspiring, to say the least. When candy maker George Burkinshaw lay in a hospital bed, concerned that nobody would make and sell his beloved candies after his death, his son, George Jr., decided to spend an entire night recreating the Gibralters and Black Jacks. He then brought the finished pieces to his father, so that his father could pass knowing with certainty and peace that the sweet family legacy would live on. And it has.
While the shop has expanded operations to two locations today, it still hand-rolls its candy canes and makes its Black Jacks by hand. And patrons still eat them all up, decidedly more than one by one.
Multiple locations
Wittich's Candy Shop
Wittich's Candy Shop is a treasure in Circleville, Ohio. For nearly two centuries now, the same family has been stirring, dipping, and shaping candy by hand. Trends may have come and gone, but patrons keep returning to Wittich's because they know what's good.
Step inside the shop and the nostalgic heart in you will be fit to burst, as the first thing you see is an old-school counter and soda fountain (and yes, you can actually order an old-school item from a decadent array of choices). Visitors have compared Wittich's to an oh-so-sweet time machine, where you can watch the chocolate dipping in action, and even arrange a group tour of the kitchen to see the process up close.
TikTok, local news, and road-trippers praise the shop that has blessed us with unmatched sweetness since 1840. Be sure to grab a buckeye, the most popular dessert in Ohio, while you are there, which the shop still crafts lovingly by hand.
(740) 474-3313
117 W High St, Circleville, OH 43113
Shane Confectionery
Shane Confectionery is one of those charming little shops that looks like it might only exist in an old-school black-and-white photo memory. In fact, it is uncannily similar in aesthetics to an old pharmacy, complete with marble-top counters and clear-paned cabinetry, where row upon row of candy-packed glass jars bejewel every inch of eye space. And in the very back? That is where the magic happens, where patrons can find hot drinking chocolate whisked the old-fashioned way, which just might rival some of the best hot chocolate in the US.
It is said to be America's oldest continuously operating candy shop, serving patrons since 1863. Many of you may not realize it, but Philadelphia was actually once considered to be the confectionery capital of America, and Shane has its place firmly planted right in the heart of that sweet history. Here, you will find these proprietors still whipping butter creams on a 100-year-old machine using a 100-year-old recipe, making ethical chocolate, and creating iconic, clear toy candy, made with antique molds.
(215) 922-1048
110 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Doscher's Candies
Doscher's Candies is the oldest continually operating candy cane maker in the United States, still crafting every single cane exactly the way founder Claus Doscher did way back in 1871. How? He took real peppermint oil, small copper kettles, and human hands (not man-made machines), then proceeded to twist, pull, stripe, and hook each minty treat. Talk about putting in the effort!
That manual labor more than pays off, as a single lick of these crooked canes ushers in a mouth sensation of airy and delicate striped divinity. In fact, it would be a huge stretch of any imagination to remotely lump these sugary shepherd hooks into the same category as the sad, mass-produced posers that have probably never felt the caress of a human hand.
But Doscher's isn't just the king of candy canes. Its French Chew taffy also remains a best-seller. Visitors to Doscher's today will find a delightful farmhouse that dates back to 1835, filled with handmade treats, a cozy coffee bar, and the feeling that they've discovered a real-life Candyland.
(513) 381-8656
6926 Main St, Cincinnati, OH 45244
Lammes Candies
Created in 1878 under the original moniker Red Front Candy Factory, the Lammes empire was chugging along just fine until it was famously lost by its founder in a poker game in 1885. Luckily, the founder's son was able to repay the debt and reacquire the shop, reopening it officially as Lammes Candies that same year, then passing the sweet shop down through the family to this day.
Today, Lammes Candies produces hundreds of thousands of pounds of chocolates, caramels, and candied fruit each year, but it is the Texas Chewie Pecan Praline (first made in 1892 from pecans gathered at Lady Bird Lake) that keeps customers coming back. Inside the shops, workers hand-dip strawberries and shape Longhorns. Customers who grew up with Lammes now bring their kids to experience the confectionery bliss of their childhoods, and one day, those kids will assuredly bring theirs.
Multiple locations
Schimpff's Confectionery
Operating since 1891, Schimpff's is a family-run confectionery that's sure to greet customers with the aroma of caramelized sugar the moment you set foot inside, filling your nostrils like a nostalgic hit of heavenly nepenthe. The candy shop itself is like a time warp in the best possible way, complete with old-fashioned candy jars and a soda fountain circa 1950-something.
What patrons really go wild over is Schimpff's live candy-making demonstrations. To have the chance to watch workers pull glowing ropes of cinnamon Red Hots and shape molten sugar into the famous hard candy is mesmerizing, and also feels intimate somehow. Probably because it is human-centric. You know, like the way candy was always crafted, with care, before America industrialized and mass-produced its sweet tooth? Sigh.
Recently, Schimpff's was crowned the Best Candy Store in America, which comes as no surprise when one considers how popular the candy creations, such as the Modjeskas and hard candy fish, still are. The real highlight, however, is the Red Hots – a customer favorite that proves some really do like it hot.
(812) 283-8367
347 Spring St, Jeffersonville, IN 47130
Josh Early Candies
Established by J. Mark Early in the early 1900s and now run by the fifth generation of the family, Josh Early Candies is a brand that has become synonymous with uncompromising quality. The moment you enter, everything from the sparkling glass cases to the friendly staff will dazzle you — and that's before you start taking in the seemingly endless trays lined with butter creams, coconut marshmallows, chocolate-covered pecans, sea-salt caramels, and the famous nonpareils that locals swear are the greatest on earth. Let's just say that visiting this candy shop is a sugar lover's Shangri-La.
Customer reviews wax lyrical about patrons more than willing to drive from hours away for a Josh Early fix, families buying the same treats their grandparents did, and even those who insist these cocoa bites of bliss are the best chocolates in America. What sets Josh Early apart is a nearly obsessive commitment to tradition. The master candy makers here still use the original batch-style recipes, unwaveringly.
These aren't chocolates stamped out en masse by machines. These bite-sized beauties are crafted with the same care that J. Mark Early and his son must have practiced in their tiny family kitchen over a century ago, which just might explain why one taste feels quite like coming home.
Multiple locations
Wilton Candy Kitchen
Wilton Candy Kitchen is a tiny Iowa sweet stop said to be the longest-running ice cream parlor and confectionery in the U.S. That's a lot of ice cream cones scooped and milkshakes made! The interior at the candy kitchen is giving vintage vibes, and we love to see it. From the classic marble counters to the old-school sodas being served behind them, everything here oozes old-fashioned energy.
Old-school banana split, anyone? You can almost close your eyes and hear the clink of the spoon as it nudges the glassware en route to fill your mouth with what feels like a kiss from childhood. And can you see it? That slow swirl of the milkshake being mixed? Us too, fam. Us too. This time travel via taste buds is all thanks to the generations of families who kept this special place alive. Today, owners Lynn and Brenda Ochiltree continue the tradition, with joy and reverence.
(563) 732-2278
310 Cedar St, Wilton, IA 52778
Rheb's Homemade Candies
Operating since 1917, Rheb's Homemade Candies is a Maryland candy shop with a customer base characterized by fierce loyalty. We're talking about people waiting in long lines, driving over 20 miles from the suburbs, and purchasing the same butter creams their parents and grandparents once did. To these folks, it seems like nothing but Rheb's will do.
It all began with Louis and Esther Rheb making small batches of candy in the basement of their home. These creations were all self-taught, and over time, with sheer determination and patience, perfected through experimentation. Eventually, their garage became the candy shop, and the rest is sweet history.
Today, Rheb's is in its fourth generation and still going strong. The shop feels as if not much has changed over the years. The workers arrange chocolates with care, and the factory next door still uses a caramel table from the early 1900s and equipment purchased during World War II. Customers claim they'd pay whatever for the butter creams, and with a second location expanding the brand in Mount Airy, it's easier than ever to get the goods they crave.
Multiple locations
Martinsville Candy Kitchen
Walk into Martinsville Candy Kitchen, and you can see the tools founder Jimmy Zapapas used after moving from Greece to Indiana and starting the store more than a century ago, still in use. The marble table, the copper kettle, the Vulcan gas stove, the heavy wooden paddles that have stirred thousands of batches of molten peppermint are all there, still slaving away to bring smiles to sugar lovers on the daily.
This is one of the rare places in America where by hand is the way most things are done, and we are glad for it. Zapapas started out by crafting jellies, divinity, and the candy canes that would later become his legacy. Those original recipes have been passed down lovingly from each owner to the next, and continue to live on.
Sure, you can buy candy canes at a big-box store, but they won't compare to watching candy makers stretch, twist, cut, and hook fresh canes via a viewing window, utterly transfixed by the glossy rope of sugar changing colors, cooling, and transforming into a holiday treasure right before your very eyes. And yes, you absolutely can — and should — do this when you visit. Just be sure to check Martinsville Candy Kitchen's social media for candy cane demonstration dates.
(765) 342-6390
46 N Main St, Martinsville, IN 46151
Muth's Candies
In Louisville, the word "Modjeska" carries the same weight as bourbon, Derby pie, or Hot Browns. It's a piece of the city's identity, and nobody makes Modjeskas like Muth's Candies. Established in 1921 and still run by the third and fourth generations of the Muth family, this NuLu landmark is one of America's greatest handcrafted candy institutions.
The Modjeska, a soft, handmade marshmallow enrobed in a buttery caramel, brings people to Muth's Candies in droves. The recipe is hallowed here, entrusted to Muth's by the family of Anton Busath, the confectioner who invented the candy in the 1880s after becoming enchanted with Polish actress Helena Modjeska. When Busath's shop closed, Muth's became the keeper of the tradition, and they've protected it fiercely ever since.
But Muth's is no one-trick confectioner! The glass cases here are filled with malted milk balls, caramels, bourbon-infused treats, seasonal creations, and chocolates made the slow way. Walk inside, and you're likely to hear customers whisper to newcomers, "You have to get the Modjeskas." And you really should.
(502) 585-2952
630 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202
Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory
Not sure where to pick up the best craft chocolate? Let's talk about Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory. Riddell Angell and Cora Phelps were two entrepreneurial pioneers who opened their store for crafted chocolates in 1925 – a time when female-owned businesses were scarce — on Mackinac Island, armed with not much more than ice blocks and ingenuity to keep said chocolate from melting in the summer heat. They later brought their little business south to Daytona Beach, creating what would become one of Florida's most cherished confectionery institutions.
Visiting today is an entertaining feast for the eyes. You can see chocolatiers temper, dip, roll, cut, and cool hundreds of treats, including fudge, honeybees (the biz's legendary take on turtles), chocolate-covered potato chips, peanut butter cups, seasonal specialties, and trays upon trays of hand-crafted chocolates. Today, its legacy is being carried forward, cementing the shop's place as one of Florida's top tourist sweet spots. Entrepreneur Magazine even ranked it among America's Favorite Mom & Pop Shops of 2025. You could safely say this candy shop is winning.
(386) 252-6531
154 South Beach St., Daytona Beach, FL 32114
Snyder's Candy
Since 1940, Snyder's Candy has welcomed families to Rehoboth Beach with its flavored fountain sodas, saltwater taffy, fudge, and famed licorice. About that licorice – customers will be spoiled for choice here, as there is not just a jar or two, but more than 80 varieties of the ropey wonder from all around the world. Dutch licorice! Finnish! Australian! Spanish! Italian! For licorice enthusiasts, Snyder's is almost a religious experience. Consider it your candy cathedral.
What else? There are shelves stacked with retro candies, jars of chocolates sold by weight, novelty sweets, truffles, barks, creams, seasonal treats, and old-time soda flavors you just can't seem to find anywhere else. The taffy has earned national praise, and its famous fountain sodas remain exactly what locals swear made Snyder's iconic in the early years.
While the shop has passed through several owners in its time, each has treated it with the utmost care, like the tiny seaside treasure it is. Thanks to that, it remains to this day a beacon of the candied bliss that filled many of our childhoods.
(302) 226-3994
60 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Phillips Chocolates
Phillips Chocolates is a family business founded by Sicilian immigrants Philip Strazzula and Concetta DiMare, who started hand-making chocolates in their kitchen in 1905. Two decades later, they opened their first shop, and in 1952, the Phillips Candy House on Morrissey Boulevard opened as the flagship that locals still adore today.
Phillips is built on one unwavering rule from founder Philip: the necessity of using butter and cream. Recipe deviations were a big no, as were low-quality ingredients. A century later, nothing has changed. The chocolates are still entirely made in-house, dipped by hand, cooled on marble, and crafted in small batches.
Creations here have a devoted cult following, particularly the chocolate bark — available in variations such as Dubai-style pistachio, dark chocolate salted almond, and peppermint during the holidays — and the Cashewchewsetts bars, peppermint patties, and many more. Reviewers have high praise for the s'mores, too.
(617) 282-2090
818 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02122
Len Libby Candies
There are your average Joe candy shops, and then there is Len Libby, where a 1,700-pound, 7-foot-tall chocolate moose named Lenny greets customers like a mighty-antlered guardian spirit of Maine. This is just one of many whimsical, enchanting reminders that this isn't just a candy store, but more like a sugary menagerie of candy magic.
Founded in 1926, Len Libby Candies is one of the oldest businesses in Scarborough and the must-visit candy store in the state. Its history is woven like a yummy gummy thread, tracing right through the Libby family lineage. Plenty of the sweet treats here are still made with their original recipes, still using copper kettles. The Bangor taffy is, true to its name, bangin'. The Maine blueberries dipped in white and milk chocolate are tiny revelations. And the buttercrunch, caramels, truffles, and bark? They're all get outta here good. Customers have even claimed that they drive straight from the airport to Len Libby before checking into their vacation rentals! That says it all.
(207) 883-4897
419 U.S. Rte 1, Scarborough, ME 04074