Here’s Why 10 Illinois Candy Shops Still Scoop Penny-Style Treats From Glass Jars For Pocket Change
Wax lips, root beer barrels, and a paper sack that crinkles in your fist still exist in Illinois, and they cost less than a fancy coffee. Across the state, a handful of candy shops have kept the old glass jars, the metal scoops, and the pay-by-the-pound counters alive.
They matter because they turn a few dollars into an outing kids remember and grandparents can share stories about. Here are six sweet stops worth the drive, from the Chicago suburbs to the river towns downstate.
1. Ma & Pa’s Candy, Long Grove
Long Grove already feels like a village from a storybook, with its covered bridge and old storefronts. Ma & Pa’s Candy fits right in.
Walk through the door and the shop looks just like the candy stores many grown-ups remember from childhood.
The setup is simple and fun. Self-serve baskets and bins hold bulk wrapped candies, so kids can grab a bag and fill it with whatever catches their eye.
Taffy, retro chews, and classic hard candies sit side by side, and the selection seems to cover nearly every flavor and kind of sweet imaginable.
Chocolate lovers get their own treat. An antique glass display case shows off handmade chocolates, many crafted right in the shop’s own candy kitchen.
Staff can scoop bulk candy or chocolate-covered goodies by the pound, which makes it easy to control the cost.
Prices stay friendly, so a small budget still goes a long way here. Free parking in the lot and along the street keeps the trip easy too.
Thursday evenings stay open until 8 PM, a handy option for an after-school stroll. Pair a stop with a walk around downtown Long Grove for a cheap afternoon that feels like a trip back in time.
2. The Sweet Spot, Hillsboro
Road trippers heading south from Chicago sometimes find the best stops by accident. Hillsboro, the Montgomery County seat, hides one of them on South Main Street.
The Sweet Spot is a small, charming shop that feels made for an unplanned detour.
Inside, the shelves bring back memories of penny candy days. Loose and bulk nostalgic sweets fill the space, set up so every visitor can build a custom mix.
Kids love choosing one piece at a time, and parents love watching the bag stay light on the wallet.
What sets this stop apart is its cozy, welcoming size. You won’t get lost in endless aisles, but you will find plenty of variety to keep everyone happy.
It is the kind of place where a five-minute stop turns into twenty because someone spotted a candy they haven’t seen in years.
Plan around the hours, since the shop is closed Mondays. It opens at noon Tuesday through Sunday, closing at 6 PM on weekdays and 5 PM on weekends.
Afternoons get busy, so arrive early if you prefer browsing in peace. A loop around Hillsboro’s historic square makes a sweet finish.
3. Old Fashioned Candies, Berwyn
Since 1969, a family-run shop in Berwyn has been proving that classic candy never really goes out of style. Old Fashioned Candies sits on Cermak Road, and it is packed with around 200 jars of sweets to choose from.
Many of those jars hold retro treats that older visitors remember from their own childhoods. Think Moon Pies, Razzles, Mallow Cups, and even wax lips.
Ten drawers of salt water taffy wait nearby, along with brittles, marshmallows, and fudge made in-house.
Here’s the surprise twist. Alongside hard-to-find vintage sweets, the shop stocks wild new creations like chocolate-covered Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
Its handmade chocolates and signature chocolate-covered strawberries also draw a loyal crowd, making it a good stop for both the nostalgic grandparent and the adventurous teenager.
Budget-friendly everyday treats mean kids can spend pocket change and still walk out smiling. Sunday afternoons get crowded, so a weekday visit is calmer.
Hours run 10 AM to 6 PM Monday through Saturday and 11 AM to 5 PM on Sunday. Street parking is available, with both free and paid spots.
A second location in Indian Head Park gives western suburb families another option.
4. Candycopia, Oak Park
Color hits you first. Candycopia, on Lake Street in Oak Park, greets visitors with a long, bright row of candy jars that seems to stretch on forever.
It is the most playful stop on this list, and kids tend to freeze in the doorway just to take it all in.
The star is the Pick ‘n Mix bar. Shoppers grab a container and fill it with gummies, sours, chocolates, and international sweets from around the world.
Mixing and matching becomes a game, and the jars make it easy to see every option before you choose.
Value is a big part of the appeal. For the price, the shop hands over a generous amount of candy, and the quality holds up.
Families can set a small budget, let each child build a custom cup, and still get plenty of treats.
A few practical notes help. Paid street parking is the main option, so bring coins or a parking app.
Hours run 11 AM to 7 PM most weekdays, later on Friday and Saturday, and 11 AM to 5 PM on Sunday. Sunday mornings and weekday mornings are quieter.
Combine the visit with a walk past Oak Park’s famous architecture.
5. The Sweet Spot Highland, Highland
Black Friday 2024 brought Highland something better than a doorbuster deal. That day, The Sweet Spot opened a second shop on Main Street, giving Madison County families a closer place to scoop up nostalgic treats.
Anyone familiar with the Hillsboro store will feel at home. The products and the cheerful vibe carry over, with bulk candy in fill-your-own bags, international candies, and craft sodas lined up for curious taste testers.
Nostalgia candies sit near gourmet confections, assorted prepackaged sweets, and gifts.
Local touches make it special. Cheesecakes and caramel apples join the lineup, so a quick candy run can turn into a dessert stop for the whole family.
The variety is wide enough that regulars return almost every week without getting bored.
Prices are reasonable, which helps when kids want to try a little of everything. A fizzy craft soda plus a small bag of candy makes an easy, affordable treat after a park day.
Hours are noon to 6 PM Tuesday through Friday and noon to 5 PM on Saturday. The shop closes on Sundays and Mondays, so plan weekend trips for Saturday afternoon.
6. Galena’s Kandy Kitchen, Galena
Brick storefronts, hilly streets, and history around every corner make Galena a favorite day trip in northwest Illinois. Right on North Main Street, Galena’s Kandy Kitchen adds a sugary chapter to the story with homemade chocolates and a big spread of old-school sweets.
Bulk candy is sold by the pound, and the staff use large scoops to fill bags. That speed is fun, but here’s a friendly tip.
Keep an eye on how full the bag gets, because those scoops add up faster than you might expect at the register.
Smart shoppers set a budget before they start. Prices are moderate, and cash is the easiest way to pay.
The staff know their products well and happily suggest favorites, which helps first-timers pick the best homemade candies.
Timing works for most schedules. The shop opens at 10 AM daily and stays open until 9 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, perfect for an evening stroll after dinner downtown.
Weekday closing is 5 PM. Grab a small treat, wander toward the Galena River, and let the kids pick one piece each to savor on the drive home.
7. Greco Nut & Candy Outlet, Tinley Park
Got a quarter jingling in your pocket? At Greco Nut & Candy Outlet in Tinley Park, that coin can still buy an actual treat.
That alone makes this stop feel different. Plenty of retro candies are priced at just 10 or 25 cents each, giving kids the rare chance to walk in with pocket change and leave with something sweet.
Choosing becomes half the fun. One candy might make the bag immediately, while another gets put back after some serious budget calculations.
Parents usually find plenty to recognize too. Old-school taffy, sour chews, familiar wrapped candies, and other throwback sweets bring back memories before the bag is even full.
The shop also carries candy and nuts sold by the pound, so anyone wanting more than a handful has plenty of options.
A simple trick makes the visit even more fun. Give each child a dollar or two before walking in and let them decide how to spend it.
Suddenly, every dime matters. Watching kids compare prices and carefully choose their favorites turns an inexpensive candy stop into a small adventure.
For families looking for a treat that does not require a big budget, Greco makes pocket change feel useful again.
8. Little Popcorn Store, Wheaton
You could walk past Little Popcorn Store in downtown Wheaton without realizing just how unusual it is. Step closer, though, and its famously skinny storefront becomes impossible to ignore.
The shop is only about four feet wide, giving it the feel of a secret passage filled with snacks. Visitors can nearly reach both walls at once while moving through the narrow space.
Its history adds even more charm. Penny candy once sat inside old apothecary jars here, giving generations of local kids a reason to stop by with a few coins in hand.
Candy still fills the shop today, sharing the tiny space with the popcorn that made this place a longtime downtown favorite.
The popcorn smell often reaches the sidewalk before you even step inside.
That combination makes a visit feel like more than a snack run. Kids get something sweet, while adults get a glimpse of the kind of neighborhood candy stop that has nearly disappeared.
Weekdays are a good choice when you want more room to look around without a crowd behind you.
Grab a small bag of popcorn, add a few candies, then take everything along for a walk through downtown Wheaton.
It is a simple outing, but that narrow little storefront makes it surprisingly memorable.
9. SweetSpot Candy Store, Barrington
The first thing you notice inside SweetSpot Candy Store in downtown Barrington is how much color fits into one small space.
Glass jars and candy displays line the shop, giving kids plenty to stare at before they even decide what they want. It is the kind of place where choosing one favorite can take longer than expected.
SweetSpot has been around since 2010, and the selection leans heavily into the fun of old-fashioned candy shopping. Familiar chews sit near sour favorites, while nostalgic treats give older visitors plenty of chances to point out candies they remember from childhood.
That mix makes the shop especially fun for families with more than one generation tagging along.
The best way to visit is with a small spending limit already in mind. Give each child two or three dollars and let them work out what makes the cut.
A budget turns the shelves into a game. Do they grab several inexpensive pieces or spend most of their money on one bigger favorite?
That little decision keeps the visit entertaining without turning it into an expensive outing.
Afterward, downtown Barrington gives families an easy excuse to keep walking, making a quick candy stop feel more like an afternoon treat.
10. Naper Nuts & Sweets, Naperville
Naperville has changed plenty since 1983, but Naper Nuts & Sweets has spent decades keeping one small piece of old-fashioned candy-shop culture alive downtown.
The store has been filling bags with treats for more than forty years, and that long run is part of the appeal. Walk inside and the focus quickly shifts to nostalgic candy, gummies, fudge, chocolates, and the kind of sweets that spark stories between generations.
Fresh roasted nuts add another layer to the experience. Their toasted smell mixes with the sugary displays, making it difficult to leave with only the item you originally planned to buy.
This is an especially fun stop for grandparents bringing younger family members along. Someone usually spots a candy they remember buying years ago, which can lead to a quick story before everyone starts choosing their own favorites.
It is worth asking the staff about older or harder-to-find candies too. Part of the fun is seeing whether a long-forgotten favorite is still hiding somewhere in the selection.
For families watching the budget, sharing a few treats works well here. Pick several nostalgic pieces instead of loading up one large bag.
That approach keeps the cost reasonable while still giving everyone something new, or wonderfully familiar, to try.