5 Vintage Candies North Carolinians Need Back And 5 They’re Glad To Leave Behind
Growing up in North Carolina, candy wasn’t just a sweet treat – it was a cultural touchstone that defined generations.
The local candy scene had its own rhythm, with some vintage confections leaving such a lasting impression that we still crave them decades later, while others make us wince at the very memory.
As a lifelong Tar Heel with a notorious sweet tooth, I’ve seen it all—witnessing the rise and fall of countless candies that once lined our local store shelves. From nostalgic favorites to short-lived sugary experiments, these treats are a reflection of our state’s love for indulgence and innovation.
1. Charleston Chew: The Chewy Chocolate Classic
My grandpa always kept Charleston Chews in his jacket pocket, ready to share whenever we visited his Asheville home. The chocolate-covered nougat bars were deliciously chewy at room temperature but transformed into something magical when frozen.
Charleston Chews date back to 1925 and were named after the Charleston dance craze. Their vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry flavors remained unchanged for decades, creating a time capsule of taste for North Carolinians.
The satisfying snap when you bite into a frozen one still represents pure childhood joy for many of us who grew up in the Tar Heel state.
2. Peach Buds: A Southern Candy Tradition
Summer visits to my aunt in Winston-Salem always included a trip to Butterfields Candy Company for their famous Peach Buds. These delicate, peach-shaped candies melted in your mouth with authentic fruit flavor that captured the essence of Southern summers.
Crafted since 1924, Peach Buds represent North Carolina confectionery craftsmanship at its finest. The family-owned Butterfields has maintained their traditional copper kettle process for nearly a century.
What makes these treats special isn’t just their taste but their connection to our state’s agricultural heritage – a sweet homage to the peach orchards that once dotted our landscape.
3. Red Bird Peppermint Puffs: Lexington’s Legendary Treat
Red Bird Peppermint Puffs were my grandmother’s purse staple – those soft, melt-in-your-mouth candies that seemed to appear magically whenever church services ran long.
Made right in Lexington by the Piedmont Candy Company since 1890, they’ve become synonymous with North Carolina candy-making excellence. The distinctive red and white striped puffs offer a perfect balance of sweetness and peppermint that’s never overwhelming.
Unlike hard peppermints that threaten dental work, these softer versions dissolve gently, releasing their flavor gradually. What’s remarkable is how little the recipe has changed over 130+ years – a testament to getting something right the first time.
4. French Chews: Nashville’s Taffy Treasure
The summer carnival in my hometown always featured one irresistible treat – French Chews from Doscher’s. These taffy-like rectangles wrapped in wax paper would stick to your teeth something fierce, but the vanilla flavor was worth every second of dental danger!
Introduced in 1891 by Doscher Brothers Confections in Nashville, NC, these chewy delights were made in traditional copper kettles that gave them their distinctive texture.
The stretchy, pull-apart quality made them fun to eat and share. French Chews represent a simpler time in candy-making when a few quality ingredients combined with craftsmanship created something truly special.
5. Mallo Cups: Chocolate-Covered Marshmallow Magic
Finding Mallo Cups at our local Raleigh corner store always felt like striking gold! Those chocolate cups filled with coconut-flecked marshmallow cream were unlike anything else on the candy shelf. The little cardboard coins inside each package added to the excitement – save enough and you could mail away for prizes!
Created in 1936, these treats weren’t North Carolina exclusives, but they developed a devoted following here.
The combination of rich chocolate shell and fluffy marshmallow center created a textural experience that modern candies rarely match. Many North Carolinians still reminisce about these sweet cups of joy that predated modern marshmallow-chocolate combinations by decades.
6. Fruit Stripe Gum: Five Seconds of Flavor Followed by Disappointment
The colorful zebra on the Fruit Stripe Gum package promised so much but delivered so little! As a kid growing up in Charlotte, I’d beg my parents for this rainbow-striped gum, only to experience the world’s shortest flavor duration – approximately five enthusiastic chews before it transformed into tasteless rubber.
Despite its vibrant appearance and temporary tattoos included in each pack, Fruit Stripe became the poster child for style over substance.
The fruit flavors – while initially intense – vanished faster than summer vacation. After 54 years of disappointing taste buds, Fruit Stripe was finally discontinued in 2024, and few North Carolinians are mourning its departure.
7. Punky’s: The Forgotten Fruit Failure
Whoever created Punky’s candies clearly hated children’s taste buds! These oval-shaped monstrosities from the late ’80s haunted my elementary school lunchroom in Wilmington with their bizarre texture – simultaneously powdery and gritty – and confusing flavor profile that couldn’t decide if it wanted to be sweet or sour.
The rough outer coating scratched against your tongue while the interior dissolved into an unidentifiable fruit-adjacent taste.
Even as a sugar-obsessed nine-year-old, I’d trade these away at first opportunity. Punky’s mercifully disappeared from store shelves due to low sales, proving that even candy-crazed North Carolina kids have standards when it comes to their sweets.
8. Astro Pops: Rocket-Shaped Regrets
Astro Pops looked amazing on the shelf with their rocket ship design and tri-colored layers, but eating one was an exercise in frustration! Created by former rocket scientists in the 1960s, these space-age lollipops became fixtures in Durham convenience stores throughout my childhood.
The conical shape made them nearly impossible to enjoy – too wide to fit comfortably in your mouth at first, then awkwardly pointed at the end.
The flavors never quite matched the vibrant colors, leaving a chemical aftertaste that lingered longer than the actual candy experience. When they were discontinued in 2004, most North Carolinians simply moved on to more satisfying sweet options.
9. Clark Bars: The Crumbly Chocolate Catastrophe
Clark Bars were the messiest candy experience of my Greensboro childhood! One bite into that crispy peanut butter center covered in milk chocolate, and you’d be finding crumbs in your clothes for days.
The structural integrity issues made them frustrating to eat, especially during hot Carolina summers when they’d melt faster than an ice cube on asphalt. Despite their popularity elsewhere, Clark Bars never quite captured North Carolina hearts like other chocolate-peanut butter combinations.
When NECCO went bankrupt in 2018, taking Clark Bars with them, few locals noticed their absence. Their reincarnation as Clark Cups lacks the nostalgic appeal of the original but avoids the messy eating experience.
10. Necco Wafers: Chalk-Like Discs of Disappointment
Opening a roll of Necco Wafers as a kid in Fayetteville was like receiving a sleeve of colorful disappointment! These chalky discs with their muted flavors and powdery texture reminded me more of antacid tablets than actual candy.
The chocolate ones were particularly offensive – tasting nothing like chocolate anyone would voluntarily consume. Dating back to 1847, Necco Wafers somehow survived for 171 years before NECCO’s 2018 bankruptcy.
Their pastel colors looked pretty in the roll but delivered a flavor experience best described as “sweetened dust.” While some North Carolinians might feel nostalgic about these historic candies, most of us are perfectly content leaving these medicinal-tasting wafers in the past.