9 Of The Biggest Candy Stores In The US

The age-old saying "like a kid in a candy store" doesn't even account for the size of the shop. America loves candy, with one 2015 study in "Advances in Nutrition" saying that the average American adult consumes 8 pounds of sugary treats each year, and some of the biggest shops in the world reside here on American soil. There are countless incredible candy stores in the States to explore, but when the goal is to get lost amongst sugar, you have to be particular with your candy shopping.

As impressive as enormous candy stores can be, square footage isn't the only thing that matters. The biggest, most epic candy stores in many areas of the U.S. might not look like much from the outside, but your eyes will glaze over the moment you step inside and witness the candy wonderland. Read on to see the must-visit biggest candy shops in the nation.

It would feel sacrilegious not to kick this list off with Cleveland's one and only B.A. Sweetie Candy Company. Some candy stores win hearts for their wide selections, while others are renowned for the shop's literal square footage. Offering 5,500 different candies across a 40,000-square-foot warehouse, B.A. Sweetie manages to do both. It was originally called Bag A Sweet Candy Co., but the store eventually abbreviated its name to just B.A. Sweetie. It has been a part of Cleveland since 1950, when two small-town brothers-in-law started bagging candy from their basement. The two went on to open their first official 1,200-square-foot shop on Brookpark Road. B.A. Sweetie got a major upgrade in 1982, when new owners Tom and Julie Scheiman moved the emporium over to a 4,000-square-foot space just a few miles west.

The staff aren't casual candy people either; they're experts, and the managers alone have a combined 100 years' worth of experience in the candy game. B.A. Sweetie claims to carry the largest variety of candies in the entire world, which explains the over-500,000 visitors in 2022 alone. Above all, this candy emporium is all about fun. The huge space houses a 36-hole mini-golf course, an old-timey soda shop, and all the candy you could ever dream of. If you can't make it to Ohio, don't worry — you can shop online or jump right into opening a wholesale account. You'll miss out on the experience, but it's better than nothing.

sweetiescandy.com

(216) 739-2244

6770 Brookpark Rd, Cleveland, OH 44129

In Minnesota, there's no room for discussion when it comes to candy-related records. For Minnesota's Largest Candy Store, everything you need to know is in the name. This sweets shop appeals to the kid in all of us, starting with the festive, bright yellow sign welcoming guests right off Highway 169. The huge candy store actually sits on a farm — Jim's Apple Farm, owned by Robert Wagner. An apple orchard on site means freshly baked apple pies and locally made caramel and candy apples galore. One Tripadvisor reviewer raves, "It truly is something to see," praising the overwhelming array of candies, chocolate, and specialty popcorn.

Minnesota's Largest Candy Store has the products one expects from a huge candy department store, like chocolates and international candies, but the shelves are also stacked with retro comics, games, and puzzles, keeping that childlike joy alive for every customer. The only con of this huge candy store is that it's seasonal, only open May through November. The crew at Jim's Apple Farm have been running the candy store for more than 40 years, balancing work and family well by taking the colder months off from the candy world. Great for them, but a bummer for the community.

minnesotaslargestcandystore.com

(952) 492-6380

20430 Johnson Memorial Dr, Jordan, MN 55352

Chutters in Littleton, New Hampshire, holds a very intriguing record for candy lovers: the world's longest candy counter. Glass candy jars line all 112 feet of the store's wooden candy shelf, formally known as the Littleton Candy Counter. The plethora of colorful candies could warm even the coldest of hearts. Chutters appeals to younger and older generations alike, balancing trendy new candy with reliable standbys like licorice, gum drops, and caramels. 

While huge, Chutters still feels intimate, like an old-school soda shop-style hangout. This charm might have something to do with its multi-century run, as the store opened in the late 1800s. The variety might stir panic in anyone who struggles with indecision, but thankfully, there are no wrong choices at Chutters. The store has expanded over the years, with additional locations in nearby Lincoln and Bretton Woods (since closed), but the Littleton shop remains the standout. Beyond its historic counter, Chutters crafts homemade fudge, plenty of saltwater taffy, and its own brand of chocolates, which keep visitors coming back year after year. 

chutters.com

(603) 444-5787

43 Main St, Littleton, NH 03561

Down in Jacksonville, Floridians know that Sweet Pete's is the place to stop for a candy fix. The first iteration of the funky shop opened in 2010 by chocolatier "Sweet Pete" Behringer. Coming from a long line of chocolatiers, Behringer knew he wanted to follow in his family's footsteps. Thanks to an appearance on CNBC's "The Profit" and some good press, Sweet Pete's quickly gained a following, leading to the 2014 opening of the current location in downtown Jacksonville. This destination covers 23,000 square feet and sells more than 1,000 different candies, including its own chocolate line.

Sweet Pete's Candy is much more than just a store. There's a lot going on beyond candy shopping, like candy-making classes and factory tours, and the store even  hosts bachelorette parties. With an on-site restaurant called Fizzies & Fare and private party rooms for rent, it's the perfect atmosphere for sweet tooths of any age. It's essentially a real-life Willy Wonka factory, offering hosted field trips that introduce kids to the science behind making candy and other confections. The candy makers teach students anything from foaming sour powder to candy slime. Sweet Pete's not only sells amazing chocolate, but it is also inspiring the candy masters of the future.

sweetpetescandy.com

(904) 643-4172

400 N Hogan St, Jacksonville, FL 32202

Middlebury Sweets is Vermont's biggest candy store, and it's worth a road trip for anyone with wheels. This charming shop might feel small when compared to some of these other supersized warehouses, but it squeezes more than 1,300 products inside. No one wants a candy store that takes itself too seriously, and Middlebury Sweets is playful and charming all at once. The vibrant red Jelly Belly dispensers in the center of the shop pull everyone in the door, where candy then greets them at every turn. Take your pick from retro confections, saltwater taffy, lollipops, or an assortment of the 72 different jelly beans. The shop doesn't just have gummies, but the world's largest gummy bear, too, clocking in at a whopping 27 pounds. 

The homemade chocolate counter is a real crowd attraction, with fudge, truffles, and rich chocolate bark of dozens of different varieties and flavor combinations. No Vermont shop would be complete without a dedicated maple syrup section, and Middlebury Sweets is no different. The team behind Middlebury Sweets ensures the shop is very Vermont-focused, catering to their community with town favorites like maple-flavored, well, everything. The owners went from scrapbooking to candy distributing in 2011, and they couldn't be happier. In addition to slinging candies, Middlebury Sweets hosts escape rooms and creative scrapbooking retreats, and if you never want to leave, you can stay the night at the Middlebury Sweets Motel. 

middleburysweets.com

(802) 388-4518

1395 Rte 7, South Middlebury, VT 05753

This 42,000-square-foot candy warehouse will make anyone feel like an ant. B.A. Sweetie Candy Company has held the title of America's largest candy store for ages now, with the honorific plastered all over its website, but Jack's Candy actually stole that title with 2,000 more square footage. California has plenty of fun candy stores, but nothing like Jack's. The origin of its name came in the 1930s, when Los Angeles residents purchased their candy from a man named Jack Levy. He pushed his little DIY cart all over the streets of Downtown LA before moving his candy business to Eighth Street, where he operated for 30 years. Another family ran the candy superstore before the current candy keepers, the Ahamed brothers, took ownership in 1980.

There are endless aisles beneath the towering ceilings full of over 10,000 unique candies, both American and Mexican-made. It's a genuine warehouse specializing in bulk, like the Costco of candy, except there's no membership fee and anyone can strut in. The shop stocks candy dating back half a century , and L.A. TikTokers are all over it. As co-owner Minaz Ahamed told ABC7, "We truly are a destination. People come from far and wide to see what Jack's Candy is all about." 

jackscandy.com

(213) 622-9287

777 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Tucked along Maine's coast in teeny tiny Wiscasset lies New England's biggest candy store, Sweetz & More. As the website boasts, a trip to Wiscasset's Sweetz & More entails "over 8,000 square feet of sugar." The walls are full, floor to ceiling, with over 650 varieties of bagged candies, while bushel baskets of wrapped taffy fill any open spaces. The epic store carries rare candies from all over the world, along with Maine-centric trinkets, more than 100 PEZ characters, dozens of cotton candy flavors, ice cream options, a whole wall of retro sodas, and baskets of saltwater taffy.

Sweetz & More's owner Steve Jackson isn't new to the candy business, having been in distribution for years, but he was new to retail not too long ago. As of 2023, this is the company's sixth location and first entry into Maine, with five other smaller stores throughout New Hampshire. 

sweetzandmore.com

(207) 687-8226

300 US Rte 1, Wiscasset, ME 04578

Not to be confused with B.A. Sweetie's Candy Co., this Sweetie's is located in Arizona. An offshoot of the Cleveland-based store, this shop is smaller but just as impressive. The 13,000-square-foot candy depot harbors more than 100,000 pounds of candy, coming from nearly 200 different manufacturers. Sweeties Candy of Arizona is run by a family that's been at it for over 60 years now, with a variety of options to please any lover of sweets.

As any true candy store should be, this one centers pretty heavily on nostalgia. The shop is proud to serve all the best forgotten candies like Razzles, circus peanuts, and Sixlets. Giant M&Ms and Jelly Belly beans welcome guests into the space, and the staff is just as friendly. "We sell happiness one piece at a time," manager Mike Manzo told The Arizona Republic.

sweetiescandyaz.com

(480) 899-4245

1986 N Alma School Rd, Chandler, AZ 85224

The Sweet Palace, also known as the "grandest candy emporium in the great American West," attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. It has a very cozy, quaint vibe like stepping into grandma's house, if grandma were an award-winning candy maker. Luckily for any coastal folks, The Sweet Palace spreads the candy love far outside Montana. The confectioners offer a "Candy of the Month" club, each package including a generous portion of candies and drool-worthy chocolates. 

All of the modern, name-brand candies and chocolates can be found in Philipsburg, but The Sweet Palace really focuses on the nostalgic classics like homemade gummies, fresh fudge, and old-fashioned saltwater taffy. Folks love to pull into The Sweet Palace on their way to Yellowstone. With a candy selection surpassing 1,000 different kinds, when's a better time to stock up on decadent candies and chocolates?

sweetpalace.com

(406) 859-3353

109 E Broadway St, Philipsburg, MT 59858