Nostalgic for that one specific candy from your childhood you can never seem to find in stores anymore? Or desperate to try the absolute wackiest flavor of saltwater taffy? Either way, it would seem that your best move is to book the next flight to Cleveland, Ohio for a trip to the candy store with the largest selection of candy in the entire United States.
B.A. Sweetie Candy Company, formerly known as “Bag a Sweet Candy Company,” was established in 1950 to supply sweets to grocery stores and convenience stores. It looks a little bit like a Costco warehouse, with 40,000 square feet of tall metal shelves holding boxes and boxes of retro, regional, new, old, spicy, sweet, and sour candy. The store typically has $4 million of inventory at any given time, and more than 5,500 items, so needless to say, you might be there for a while. If you want to go the classic self-serve route, you can grab a bag and piece together your own curated selection of lollipops and other smaller treats, while if you’ve got just one ultimate favorite, pick up a bulk package of, say, gummy bears (or gummy worms, or gummy fish, or whichever other gummy animals your heart desires). The best part? The location also includes a 36-hole mini golf game and an old-fashioned soda shoppe, making it easy to turn a quick trip in search of a sugar rush into a full mid-day adventure, simultaneously checking one of the biggest candy stores in the world off your bucket list.
@thingsivebeeneating Did you know that the largest candy store in the entire world is located right here in Cleveland, OH? b.a. Sweetie Candy Company has been in business for over 72 years, with the world’s largest supply of national brands, regional brands, and even hard to find candies, including retro candies! Fun fact: b.a. Sweetie often has an inventory value of almost $5,000,000! That’s a lot of candy! #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #fypシ #food #foodie #foodietiktok #foodreview #foodtok #restaurantlife #restaurant #cleveland #cle #clevelandblogger #foodblogger #clefood #restaurantreview #clevelandfood #cleeats #216 #downtowncleveland #clefoodies #clefoodie #clevelandfoodie #clevelandfoodies #clevelandfoodscene #216eats #eatlocalcleveland #eatlocalohio #basweeties #candystore #biggestcandystore #largestcandystore #retrocandy #bestcandyshop #candyshop #worldsbiggestcandyshop #clevelandcandy #clevelandsweets #funincleveland #clevelandfamily #familyfun #kidsincleveland #thingstodoincleveland #basweetiecandycompany #nerds #gummies #peeps #easter #eastercandy #chocolate #chocolatebar #nestle #tonychocolonely #fruitypebbles #postcereal #laffytaffy #retrocandy #nostalgiccandy
♬ Memories – Lux-Inspira
A glimpse inside Sweetie’s
When you walk through the (similarly massive) doors of North America’s biggest candy shop, you’re greeted by several statues of plaster candies, from a toothy-grinned lollipop to a squad of sassy brown M&Ms. The selection can be a little overwhelming, so it’s tempting to go for your regular faves, or the best classic movie theater candies — but if you do go, we recommend branching out a little and hunting for a candy you’ve never seen before, or even an international treat that’s hard to find in the U.S.
Unfortunately, the store can’t stock items that are no longer in production, so it would be a stretch to say you can find everything there. But if old brands do start to recirculate, the candies will reappear on Sweetie’s shelves in a heartbeat. According to the store’s website, recently returned candies include Bonomos Turkish Taffy and SloPoke. Meanwhile, always quick with the trends, some of the store’s newest candies include Peelerz, Boba Vida Popping Pearls, and Reese’s new and the oh-so-innovative PB&J cups. If you’re not heading to Ohio anytime soon, the store does offer online ordering, but in our opinion, B.A. Sweetie Candy is about the full experience. Oh, and if you’re craving something savory after your sugar rush, make it a truly Ohioan day by finding a Cleveland-style hot dog to chow down on — you won’t regret it.
