Sales

Are Certain Edible Gifts at Boardwalk Candy Stores

Times are sweet for edible gifts sold at boardwalk and beach-close candy stores. Vacationers and year ‘round residents alike head straight toward the sand for delicious gifts and tasty, unique goodies.

At the Candy Kitchen located on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk in Rehobeth Beach, Del., Key Holder Lucy Sirenanides said the shop’s top selling items are chocolate peanut butter fudge, pecan patties, and chocolate covered pretzels, as well as homemade taffy. “It’s all freshly made each week. A lot of people come to our location even off-season, and we’ve been busy all year.” The popularity of these particular items is due to both freshness and store-made creation.

According to Sirenanides, the store is open 24/7. “We typically keep the same items in stock all year, but there is some seasonal variation with our gummies and our chocolate. We do offer pistachio fudge in summer and pumpkin fudge in autumn and winter; we often have Christmas-season items as well.”

Across the country on the west coast, Vincent Brooking , owner of Carousel Toffee in beachside Capitola, Calif., reported that taffy is his number-one seller. “I’m right here in Capitola Village, and being right near the ocean, saltwater taffy is just one of those things that people have to buy, I think. I sell a lot of fruit flavors, watermelon, raspberry, and cherry.” His shop also does well with gummies. “Those do well particularly with kids, say sixth to eighth grade, anything fruity and sour they go crazy for.”

His location affects sales of these items, he said. “Being close to the beach is part of the attraction for this kind of candy. I’m open all year, although in fall and winter, I close on Tuesdays, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. I’m open every other day.”

Brooking offers seasonal treats, specifically for Halloween and Christmas.

“But with supply chain issues ongoing, I am not sure what we will have this year for the holidays. I ordered so much Halloween stuff and only received one thing. I do decorate the store for the holidays.” His saltwater taffy, while not produced on-site, is not affected by supply-chain issues, he noted. “I order it from a company in Salt Lake City. The makers used to work for this store years ago.”

At Marini’s Candy in Santa Cruz, Calif., Co-Owner Gino Marini also called saltwater taffy his “signature item” and a top seller. “We’ve been making the same recipe for 100-plus years,” he attested. “It’s still so popular I think because it is one of those sea-side treats people feel they can’t get any other place. There’s a lot of nostalgia generationally about our recipe. Families have come through that have enjoyed the same treat for generations.” His traditional taffy has expanded in terms of offered flavors, but otherwise stayed the same over the years.

Besides Marini’s well-known taffy, the store also does well with caramel corn. “That’s another big one for us. We have a good recipe for it that’s just very tasty. We also do salted toffee squares, turtles, salted caramels. Caramels are a big thing for us. I think all these things are the kinds of treats people like when times are tougher. They spend money on things that make them feel good about their day and forget about COVID or something that is going wrong in their lives. Our little bit of sweet brightens people’s days.”

Marini’s has three locations in Santa Cruz, with