This Retro Candy Store In Ohio Feels Like A Saturday Afternoon From Years Ago
Remember those lazy Saturday afternoons when you’d clutch a handful of coins and race to the corner candy store? The smell of sugar in the air, the rainbow of colors behind the glass counter, and that impossible decision about which treat to pick first.
Those simple moments shaped entire childhoods. One special place in Toledo, Ohio, has been keeping that magic alive for nearly two decades.
It’s where time slows down just enough for you to rediscover what made being a kid so sweet. Every shelf tells a story, every jar holds a memory, and every visit feels like coming home to a simpler era.
Finding Your Way to 954 Phillips Avenue
The candy wonderland that I am talking about is Boyd’s Retro Candy Store at 954 Phillips Avenue in Toledo, Ohio. The shop has called this neighborhood home since 2006, weathering economic challenges and even a pandemic while staying committed to its sweet mission.
Getting there is straightforward with ample street parking available right out front. The store operates Tuesday through Saturday from noon until 6 PM, plus Monday with the same hours, giving you plenty of chances to stop by during the week or weekend.
When I first pulled up, the storefront immediately caught my eye with its inviting presence. The building might be modest in size, but what waits inside packs a powerful nostalgic punch.
This small mom and pop operation has survived where many others couldn’t, thanks to owners who genuinely care about preserving candy history.
The location has been serving Toledo residents and visitors for nearly 20 years now, building a loyal following that spans generations.
Stepping Into Sweet History
The moment you cross the threshold, something shifts. It’s not just about candy anymore.
You’re entering a carefully curated time capsule where every product has been chosen to spark recognition and joy.
The owners redesigned the floor plan during the COVID closure, making it easier to navigate while maintaining that authentic vintage vibe. Shelves line the walls from floor to ceiling, each one bursting with treats that might have disappeared from mainstream stores decades ago.
What strikes me most is how clean and organized everything stays despite the sheer volume of products crammed into the space. Every candy has its place, every soda bottle stands at attention, and every display invites you to explore further.
The layout encourages discovery rather than rushing. You’ll find yourself naturally slowing down, scanning each shelf with the same wide-eyed wonder you had as a child.
That’s exactly the experience Pamela and her team work hard to create every single day for every single visitor.
Candy That Time Forgot
Gilbert creams, which some folks call mothballs, sit alongside other treats that vanished from most store shelves years ago. The selection focuses heavily on those hard-to-find classics that trigger instant recognition when you spot them.
Mars bars, which became scarce in many parts of the United States, can be found here much to the delight of customers who’ve been searching. The store also stocks an impressive variety of Mexican candy, expanding the nostalgia beyond just American childhood memories.
Sour candies, Nerds, and other familiar brands share space with more obscure items that you might have thought stopped being manufactured. The truth is many of these candies never disappeared, they just became harder to locate as big box stores focused on newer products.
Economic challenges have forced the store to slim down its inventory compared to previous years, but the commitment to quality and variety remains strong. As manufacturers ramp up production and the economy stabilizes, the shelves continue filling back up with treasures.
Taffy in Every Flavor Imaginable
Saltwater taffy deserves its own spotlight here because the selection truly impresses. Bins overflow with individually wrapped pieces in flavors ranging from traditional vanilla and chocolate to more adventurous options that surprise your taste buds.
Multiple customers specifically mentioned the taffy in their reviews, with one noting that both her son and husband love it enough to make it a regular purchase. The freshness makes a difference too, something that sets Boyd’s apart from other candy retailers.
You can mix and match flavors, creating your own custom assortment without committing to a full pound of any single variety. This approach lets you experiment with new tastes while still grabbing plenty of your proven favorites.
The taffy sits in accessible bins where you can easily see each color and read the flavor labels. I found myself filling my bag with far more pieces than I initially planned, but that’s part of the fun.
When taffy this good presents itself in this many options, restraint becomes nearly impossible.
The Jelly Belly Experience
Since 2006, Jelly Belly jelly beans have been a cornerstone of the store’s offerings. But here’s what makes it special: you can buy individual flavors by the pound instead of getting stuck with those pre-mixed bags where half the flavors go uneaten.
No one wants the gross flavors, as one satisfied customer put it perfectly. At Boyd’s, you simply grab a bag and fill it with nothing but your favorites.
Want a pound of pure buttered popcorn flavor? Go for it.
Prefer to mix watermelon, strawberry, and cherry? That works too.
The selection includes dozens of flavors, each in its own clearly labeled bin. You scoop what you want, weigh it at the counter, and pay based on weight.
This system eliminates waste while maximizing satisfaction.
I watched other shoppers carefully selecting their beans, some moving methodically through the flavors while others quickly grabbed their tried-and-true favorites. The variety ensures everyone leaves happy, whether you’re a jelly bean novice or a seasoned connoisseur with very specific preferences about your bean consumption.
Soda Pop From Another Era
The beverage selection rivals the candy assortment in its ability to transport you backward through time. Old school pop lines the shelves in glass bottles that feel substantial in your hand, nothing like modern plastic containers.
Flavors you haven’t seen in years appear here regularly. Some brands never left production but simply disappeared from mainstream distribution as grocery stores prioritized shelf space for major cola companies.
Boyd’s gives these regional and specialty sodas a home.
The drinks complement the candy perfectly, letting you recreate that complete corner store experience. Grab a cold bottle, pick out some candy, and suddenly you’re ten years old again with your whole Saturday afternoon stretching out before you.
Several reviews mentioned the soda selection specifically, noting how it added another layer to the nostalgia factor. The glass bottles alone trigger memories even before you twist off the cap and take that first fizzy sip.
I grabbed a flavor I hadn’t tasted since childhood, and that first taste hit exactly right.
Shopping Smart and Supporting Local
Prices remain reasonable considering you’re getting specialty items that require extra effort to source and stock. Several customers mentioned the affordability in their reviews, noting that while it’s not dollar store pricing, the value matches the quality and uniqueness.
Grab a basket when you enter, as one helpful reviewer suggested. You’ll need it because your initial plan to just look around quickly transforms into a full shopping expedition.
The basket prevents awkward juggling as your arms fill with treats.
Supporting this local business means supporting a family that’s weathered significant challenges to keep serving the community. Many businesses in Toledo closed during recent economic difficulties, but Boyd’s survived through determination and customer loyalty.
When you shop here instead of ordering mass-produced candy online from huge corporations, your money stays in Ohio and helps preserve a business that genuinely enriches the community. That feels good in addition to the sugar rush.
Every purchase is a vote for keeping this kind of specialized, personal retail experience alive for future generations to discover and enjoy.
Online Ordering and Shipping
You don’t have to live in Ohio to enjoy Boyd’s offerings. The store ships nationwide, bringing nostalgia directly to your doorstep no matter where life has taken you since your candy-buying youth.
Customers rave about the shipping experience almost as much as the in-store visits. One reviewer in Minnesota specifically praised the freshness of coconut bonbons that arrived with a beautiful handwritten note.
Another customer was amazed by the crazy fast fulfillment and fresh product quality.
The store even emails coupons to customers, adding extra value to online purchases. While the website currently shows limited inventory due to economic constraints and high manufacturer minimums, the team works constantly to expand online offerings as circumstances allow.
I appreciate that online orders receive the same personal attention as in-store purchases. That handwritten note transforms a simple transaction into a genuine connection.
The care taken in packaging ensures treats arrive intact and ready to enjoy, maintaining the quality standards that keep customers coming back order after order, year after year, regardless of distance.
Why This Place Matters
Boyd’s represents something bigger than candy sales. It’s a repository of collective memory, a place where grandparents bring grandchildren to share experiences that span decades.
The store creates connections between generations through the universal language of sugar and nostalgia.
Customers who grew up in the neighborhood still stop in as retired couples, maintaining relationships that stretch back years. Tour groups include it as a destination.
Families make special trips when visiting Toledo specifically to experience what it offers.
In an era of Amazon deliveries and sterile big box stores, this personal touch matters more than ever. The store proves that small businesses can survive and thrive when they offer something authentically unique that online retailers and chain stores simply cannot replicate.
My visit reminded me why these places deserve our support and patronage. They preserve not just products but entire eras of American life.
When you walk out with your bag of treats, you’re carrying more than candy. You’re carrying memories, connections, and proof that some beautiful things from the past can survive into the present when people care enough to keep them alive.