“Like a kid in a candy store.”

The old saying is often used to describe the sheer excitement of being surrounded by wonderful and tempting things.

And what could be better than being a kid in a candy store?

How about being a grown-up in a candy store - you can buy whatever you want and there’s no one there to warn you you’ll spoil your dinner.

Boyd’s Retro Candy Store, located at 354 Phillips Ave. in Toledo, offers jar upon jar, on shelf after shelf of confections – by last count more than 1,000 and growing all the time.

As the name implies, the store specializes in sweet treats from the 50s, 60s and 70s but there’s definitely something to satisfy candy lovers of every generation.

Do Atomic Fire Balls, Boston Baked Beans, Candy Buttons, Sixlets, Smith Brothers Cough Drops, Sugar Babies and the bigger Sugar Daddy and Neccos bring back a flood of happy childhood memories? Do Pop Rocks, Nik-L-Nips, Razzles, Abba Zabas, Wax Bottles or Pixy Stix hold a special place in your heart?

Pam Lloyd-Camp understands completely.

“That’s why I wanted to open a retro candy store,” she said. “To help our generation relive their childhood memories and to give their kids happy memories too.”

She got the idea to open a shop selling nostalgic candy favorites after working in a candy store in Bowling Green. “People would come in asking for Mary Janes or Squirrel Nut Zippers – candies they used to enjoy as kids,” she said.  The first thing she looked for when starting an inventory were Fizzies, the drink tablets from the 1960s that turned a glass of water into soda pop.

“I had so much fun with them when I was a kid,” she said. (She carries them in such flavors as lemon lime, fruit punch, root beer, cherry, orange and blue razz.)

She welcomed her first candy lovers on Nov. 3, 2006 in a little space at the corner of Arlington and Woodsdale, just off the Anthony Wayne Trail in south Toledo.

“It was already called Boyd’s, so I kept the name,” she said.

When the historic building at the intersection of Phillips and West Sylvania avenues became available, she decided to locate there. Originally built in 1939, the building was the site of the Bib `n Tucker Restaurant. It had later incarnations as other restaurants, and was most recently a print shop, Pam said. After some cleanup and renovations, including painting the walls a bright, cheerful pink, the new store opened in June of last year.

“I love the location – it has a lot of history,” she said, adding that she and her husband are history buffs. The store carries an assortment of local history books, including one penned by her husband.

Though some find on the store by accident as they’re driving by, intrigued by shop’s name and the building’s unique architecture, others plan the trip there, on a quest to rediscover a favorite childhood treat.

On a recent weekday afternoon, customers strolled into the shop in a steady stream, including a few “first-timers.” In a matter of seconds, excited cries of “Oh my gosh!” or “I can’t believe you have these!” could be heard.

“I never get tired of that,” Pam said, adding that customers often share their childhood memories involving their favorite candies.

“One person told me about licking a giant jawbreaker until his tongue bled,” she said.

Occasionally, a customer will ask for something Pam doesn’t carry. “Often, I’m able to find what they want, but some things are just available any more.”

Also drawing oohs and ahs from customers is the assortment of retro soda pops in glass bottles, including assorted flavors of Faygo, Crush, Nehi, Nesbitt’s and Boylan’s as well as Moxie, Dr. Enuf and Bubble Up.

“Some of them are unique,” Pam said. “Dr. Enuf was the original `energy drink.’ Moxie was created in 1876 and today is the state beverage of Maine.

“And personally, I think it’s just fun drinking something called Bubble Up,” she said.

For those who want to balance the sweet with the tart (yes, you could try the Lemonheads or some SweetTarts), Pam offers an assortment of Freestone Pickles.

“Surprisingly, they’re very popular with the kids,” she said.

And speaking of the little ones, kids who come in with a nickel or a quarter can still walk out with a treat or two. “We have jars of candy for two cents each,” Pam said.

Boyd’s can put together customized gift baskets. The store also accepts special orders and ships through its eBay store. “We’ve shipped orders throughout the U.S. and ito Germany, Australia and England, among other places,” Pam said.

Currently hours are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday. Most major credit cards are accepted.

For more information, call 419-720-7387 or visit www.junk-it-junction.com.
 

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