Snacks, Candy and Gourmet Products at Country and Candy Stores

The taste for candy and gourmet foods has never wavered during the pandemic. If fact, trying times have only compelled people to buy more sweet treats and comfort foods as well as ride the waves of availability. Five country and candy stores in various states provide a peek into how the pandemic has impacted them and why customers keep coming back for more.

If you can imagine a store filled from floor to ceiling with thousands of pounds of packaged sweets and nuts, you can imagine Yummies Candy & Nuts in Kittery, Maine. Inside the 1,800-square-foot emporium, gummy bears remain a top-selling staple and customers always wax nostalgic for nonpareils. Proximity to the sea means saltwater taffy is another frequent choice and people never seem to tire of classic Twizzlers either.

As a purveyor of often unusual and nostalgic candy and nuts, Yummies has faced some pandemic-induced challenges. “Some of the products that were bestsellers aren’t anymore because so many places that made them are no longer in business or if they are, they aren’t making certain items,” said Director of Sales Matt Brodsky . Demand is still there but supply isn’t. However, Yummies came through the pandemic pretty much unscathed. “We’ve been around for over three decades. We’re the only place like this around so we keep busy no matter what.” Online orders and curbside service saw them through the strictest lockdown periods.

Yummies Candy & Nuts asked customers to wear masks the past couple of years to keep staff in the small, family-owned store from getting sick. It worked because no staff did. The prospect of germs on their wares has never been an issue because there aren’t any open bins of candy. Everything is wrapped and stacked. Meanwhile, the establishment saw a bump in sales last summer which Brodsky attributed to people being ant- sy to get out plus the fact they had some stimulus money in their pocket. “They were just driving around and candy and snacks always makes you feel better about life and yourself. They’re a nice pick-me-up,” Brodsky said. However, he wondered if gas prices might flatten sales some this summer. Time will tell.

People keep coming back for the homemade cheese spreads found at Seaside Country Store in the town of Fenwick Island, Del. “There’s a zesty horseradish cheddar cheese flavor plus six other kinds we’ve been selling for close to 50 years,” said General Manager Lori Bennett . Over 30 flavors of homemade fudge are another big draw as are the jellies, jams, seasoning and sauces also sold on the premises. Sales have been a little flat so far this year compared to the summer of 2021 which turned out to be one of the best the store ever experienced. This year’s summer rental picture is bright, according to Bennett, so hopefully sales will be up to par.

The strict pandemic measures necessary during the summer of 2020 didn’t do Seaside Country Store any favors. “It was shopping by appointment and then we had to do curbside and these things definitely took a toll on sales,” said Bennett. The store’s longevity and reputation are ultimately what saved it. “The owner has been here for so long she had the wherewithal to

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keep going.” Unfortunately, the practice of offering samples – so vital when selling foodstuffs – had to be retired during the worst of the pandemic. It’s now back but only to a certain degree. “We don’t so as much as sampling as we used to but other than that, we’re back to running pretty much the same way we do from year to year.”

Vanilla buttercream chocolates habitually top the best-seller list at Rheb’s Candies in Baltimore, Md. The family-owned business has been around since 1917 and is now in a fourth generation’s hands. It’s still in the same location too with a retail store in what was initially a garage and the manufacturing plant right behind in the former family home. “Truffles, turtles, sea salt caramels, cherries, nonpareils – they’re all good sellers. We make about 75 different kinds of candies between milk and dark chocolate,” said Manager and Part-Owner Elmer Wengert , who has worked there for 42 years.

People who frequented Rheb’s Candies as children now bring their children and grandchildren. “During the holiday periods, there might be 50 people outside waiting for us to open. They have their favorites and when they pick up an order, they’ll place an identical one for the next year. Some even ask for salesladies who’ve waited on them season after season,” Wengert said. In spring of 2020, Rheb’s had all its Easter candy made and ready to go when the pandemic forced them to shut down for a time. “It hurt us because nobody wants an Easter egg after Easter.” The 300-square-foot store tried to donate the candy to hospitals or nursing homes but nobody was able to take anything and the majority ended up being thrown away.

Fortunately, Rheb’s Candies has reaped the benefit of booming holiday seasons since the spring 2020 losses. “Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s – they’ll all been wonderful once everything was back up and running. We usually experience a little uptick in our sales each year, not a whole lot but it’s enough to make everybody comfortable,” Wengert said. As for pandemic measures, he admitted it was hard to wear a mask all day to cook candy and he’s grateful those rules have relaxed. Meanwhile, there are some instances where the practice of curbside service remains. “Even before the pandemic, we always had a few elderly people who would call in an order and we’d bring their candy out to their car. We always take care of the people who’ve been coming here for years and will continue to,” he concluded.

The 189 bins of bulk candy which run one length of The Olde Country Store & More in North Cohocton, N.Y., are quite eyecatching. They’re a big draw for people entering the 173-year-old store which was first established in 1849. The bins are supplemented by additional jars featuring even more candy – nostalgic as well as new varieties plus a good selection of taffy. “Our store is famous for the candy wall, said Jenny Wells , who co-owns the historic property with her sister Denise and father Jeffrey.

The Olde Country Store & More operates out of the 2,000-squarefoot bottom half of its two-story building. It also sells a lot of locally made food items such as honey and maple syrup as well as notecards, postcards, cookie cutters and similar. There is even a German corner featuring items of interest from that country, in a nod to the Wells’ family heritage. They were just re-opening after their traditional winter break when the pandemic hit in March 2020. Although sales took a hit until they were able to re-open in June, they got through the period with a combination of online sales, curbside service, and some shipping. A wholesale business the Wells had begun in 2016 featuring a “Green Heart of the Finger Lakes” logo they created and affixed to items like T-shirts, stickers and mugs helped too.

Once strict lockdowns subsided, The Old Country Store & More has been busier than ever. “It’s a mix of people getting out of the cities but also just our local population wanting to do more staycations because of all the camping, hiking, and skiing in our area,” said Jenny. Attentive sanitizing protocols remain but otherwise, it’s business as usual and the picture looks bright!

Fudge tops sales at Old Port Candy Co. in Portland, Maine. “Since we make our fudge here at the store, it’s probably what we’re best known for,” said Owner Anna Largay . The 1,000-square-foot retail space also sells lots of chocolates from its chocolate display case, both individually and as part of boxed selections. Sales have been up in recent times which Largay attributed to her tourist town setting. “I think folks are excited to get back out in the world. Every weekend is busy with tourists. It isn’t just during the summertime anymore.”

Not that Old Port Candy Co. hasn’t felt the pandemic’s effects. “During the lockdowns and while masks were required, sales declined,” Largay said. Reduced store hours and the fact that many people didn’t feel comfortable shopping in person lay at the heart of the problem. One practice the store took up during the pandemic was to bag all its bulk candy so it wasn’t self-serve any longer. Generally speaking, that is no longer the scenario. Most of the bulk items are back to being self-serve except for a few which staff are still bagging because they’ve discovered they sell better that way. “We also now work with all the local delivery services – GrubHub, UberEats - which is something we never did before and we plan to continue those relationships,” Largay concluded. ❖