BERWICK, N.S. — Candy lines the shelves in colourful boxes and jars, from gobstoppers to gummy worms.
Every sweet morsel at Sweeties Candy and Gifts just begs to be sampled.
Suffice to say, there’s something for all ages at the new candy shop in Berwick, from kids on the way home from school, to parents sneaking out after dinner ‘to walk the dog.’
The broad appeal, said co-owner Amy Sentis, is the reason the new boutique candy shop on Commercial Street has been busy since it opened Oct. 19.
“There are times you can barely even move in here. It’s elbow-to-elbow. We’re actually blown away with the community support we’ve seen since we opened,” Sentis said. “The general consensus is that we needed a candy store in Berwick.”
When Sentis and fellow co-owner Ali Longley opened Sweeties, they were inspired by demand and nostalgia alike.
“I love candy; I love being transported back to the ‘70s and ‘80s, when life was simpler, and the biggest thing was how excited you were about shopping at your local corner store,” Sentis said.
The business, and its whimsical name, were inspired by Sentis’ own mother, who recently passed away.
“I had a business plan in my head for months. My mother had a stroke and had difficulty speaking, so she called everyone ‘little sweetie.’ And the name Sweetie just stuck,” Sentis said. “It all came together very naturally over the next few months, and as soon as the location was available it just got me.
“You know, you jump out of the nest, grow your wings on the way down and figure it out. We really didn’t know what to expect, but it’s already blown past our wildest dreams.”
CANDY BAGS
One thing Sentis and Longley wanted to bring back with their business was the old-fashioned magic of filling your own bag of candy.
“We wanted to bring back the way you can grab a brown bag, pick your own candy, mix and match and have fun with it,” Sentis said.
As a matter of fact, providing that variety is one of the more challenging aspects of the business.
“We have to source our candy from a lot of different places, but it’s a labour of love – we love it,” Sentis said. “It’s fun – a bit like Christmas – every time an order comes in.”
Sentis takes pride in being part of an uptick in business downtown. The success of local business from Hello Handmade to North Mountain Coffee had a hand in encouraging Sentis and Longley to create Sweeties.
“What I love most about Berwick shopping is that these are all mom-and-pop-type businesses,” Sentis said. “These are small family businesses that have grown extraordinarily. It’s exciting to see what’s happening around here for sure.”
In addition to candy, Sentis said Sweeties carries board games – another opportunity for the family to get together and have fun.
For Sentis, opening Sweeties in any other community was not a consideration.
“I’ve grown up in this area my whole life, and raised four children here,” she said. “I wouldn’t have started a candy shop anywhere else. Berwick is the town I love and supporting your town’s economy is extremely important to us.”
