There are tons of sweet spots in southern and Midcoast Maine, and we mean that literally.
Just about every candy you could ever want is available at one of these local candy stores. From fancy chocolates to throwback treats and contemporary sweet-tooth soothers, there’s plenty to go around.
Here are the details on where you can revisit your childhood candy memories, load up on homemade fudge and make your kids’ candy dreams come true.
Let the confection inspections begin!
AVA’S CANDY DEPOT
Ava’s Candy Depot is filled with plenty of classic candy, like Smarties and Tootsie Roll Pops. You’ll also find glass jars of loose candy to choose from. Throwback candies include Necco Wafers, Pop Rocks, Chuckles and Bit-O-Honey.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: 261 Main St., Bridgton. On Facebook.
THE CANDY CORNER
Popular items are hand-dipped chocolate turtles and chocolate fudge. The Candy Corner also makes chocolate ravioli in milk, dark and white chocolate.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday
WHERE: 14 Railroad Ave., York. On Facebook.
DEAN’S SWEETS
Dean’s Sweets is headquarters for fancy, gourmet chocolates. You can even have them delivered to your home each month with a subscription. The hand-dipped chocolate offerings include cherry bourbon bon bons, Maine sea salt caramels, gorgeous chocolate flowers and whimsical chocolate sheep, to name just a few.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: 475 Fore St. and 54 Cove St., Portland. deanssweets.com
DICKINSON’S CANDY FACTORY
With 4,500-square-feet of real estate, Dickinson’s Candy Factory should please every palate. The fudge and saltwater taffy is made in house, and the shop also carries eye-popping amounts of other candies, including throwbacks and kid-pleasing delights like Nerds and Jolly Ranchers.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
WHERE: 42 Old Orchard St., Old Orchard Beach. tm2oldorchardbeach.com/places/dickinsons-candy-factory
THE GOLDEN ROD
The Golden Rod, established in 1896, is situated near Short Sands Beach. Saltwater taffy is one of the shop’s main attractions, and there’s sometimes a crowd standing by the window to watch the mesmerizing taffy-pulling equipment. The shop also carries plenty of fudge, chocolate bark, gummy candies, brittle and other treats.
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
WHERE: 2 Railroad Ave., York Beach. thegoldenroad.com
GRANITE HALL STORE
There’s a display case with chocolates from Haven’s, but most of the candy is either packaged goodies, like Sour Patch Kids and Haribo gummies, along with dozens of candies like Goetze’s Old-Fashioned Caramel Creams, lollipops, Tootsie Rolls and endless types of candy bars and other packaged treats.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, May 1 to Dec. 24
WHERE: 9 Back Shore Road, Round Pond. granitehallstore.com
HARBOR CANDY SHOP
Harbor Candy Shop has been in business since 1956 and is known for high-end confections, with an emphasis on chocolate. Sampler boxes are a customer favorite.
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
WHERE: 284 Main St., Ogunquit. harborcandystore.com
HAVEN’S CANDIES
Haven’s Candies has been around since 1915. Popular items include saltwater taffy, peanut brittle and all sorts of chocolate, including chocolate lobster and moose pops, peanut butter cups, bear claws (aka turtles), almond bark and truffles.
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday
WHERE: 87 County Road, Westbrook; 448 Forest Ave., Portland. havenscandies.com
LEN LIBBY CANDIES
At Len Libby Candies, you can load up on Bangor Taffy, a rich, buttery caramel covered in confectioner’s sugar. There’s also a world of chocolate to choose from. You’ll also get to see Lenny, the life-sized chocolate moose.
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday
WHERE: 419 Route 1, Scarborough. lenlibby.com
OLD PORT CANDY CO.
Old Port Candy Co. has a dozen varieties of fudge, including maple walnut, coconut cream and chocolate toffee crunch. The shop also carries plenty of chocolate and dozens of bulk candies, including non-pareils, malted milk balls and spearmint leaves. The nostalgia section is stocked with things like candy buttons and Mallo Cups.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
WHERE: 442 Fore St. and 163 Commercial St. (connected to Old Port Card Works), Portland. oldportcandy.com
ORNE’S CANDY STORE
At Orne’s, you’ll find four flavors of fudge, nine types of chocolates and an array of other sweets, including licorice and salt water taffy. Gummy candies like fish, lobsters, peaches and raspberries are also available.
WHEN: Call 207-633-2695 for hours
WHERE: 11 Commercial St., Boothbay Harbor. ornescandystore.com
PERKINS COVE CANDIES
Stand-out sweets at Perkins Cove Candies include sea salt caramels, coconut clusters, almond bark and Heath bar toffee. You can also shop for saltwater taffy, chocolate covered Oreos and Needhams, among other tempting treats.
WHEN: Call 207-646-7243 for hours
WHERE: 103 Perkins Cove Road, Ogunquit (also shops in Wells and at Wells Beach). perkinscovecandies.com
ROBIN’S CONFECTIONS
Maine Needhams are a staple at Robin’s Confections, as are peanut butter balls, cashew clusters, chocolate-covered graham crackers and a number of other configurations of chocolate. For an extra decadent treat, try a chocolate-covered Twinkie or Devil Dog.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: 586 Alfred St., Biddeford. robinsconfections.com
SWEET JOSIE’S CANDY SHOPPE
The fudge situation is tremendous at Sweet Josie’s Candy Shoppe because they make it with things like Oreo cookies, candy corn and peanut butter cups. The shop also stocks Jelly Belly jelly beans and carries saltwater taffy and a variety of loose, wrapped candies.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
WHERE: 7 Railroad Ave., York. sweetjosiescandy.com
SWEETZ & MORE
Sweetz & More is a small chain of candy stories with five New Hampshire locations and one in Maine. It claims that the Wiscasset store is the largest candy store in New England. Be prepared to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of candy, including Asher’s chocolates, massive amounts of bulk candies and all sorts of retro candy.
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
WHERE: 300 Route 1, Wiscasset. sweetzandmore.com
WAY WAY STORE
This is the place to go for small-town charm and old-time general store customer service by shop owners Peter and Bridget Scontras. You’ll find a wide range of throwback and modern candies to choose from, including Mary Janes, rock candy and Chunky bars.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily
WHERE: 93 Buxton Road, Saco. waywaystore.com
WILBUR’S OF MAINE
Wilbur’s of Maine, established in 1983, is a family-owned business. There are two locations in Freeport and one in Brunswick. Wilbur’s is known for its handcrafted chocolates and other confections. Bestsellers include chocolate-covered cranberries, turtles, scotch kisses and gourmet truffles.
WHEN: Hours vary by location
WHERE: 174 Lower Main St. and 13 Bow St. in Freeport, 143 Maine St., Brunswick. wilburs.com
YUMMIES CANDY & NUTS
The sign outside Yummies Candy & Nuts claims the place has 10,000 pounds of goodies on display, so chances are, you’ll find something you love. There’s nostalgic candy like Abba-Zaba taffy and Bonono Turkish taffy, as well as chocolates, gummies, jellies and everything else sweet that you can imagine.
WHEN: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
WHERE: 384 Route 1, Kittery. yummies.com
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