Veronika has definitely won me over with this store. It is variety to the extreme but it is good…read morequality, set out well and the prices are super low. I found some great kids dress up hats that were only a few dollars but were gorgeous. They were like little felt toupees that had animal faces. In the costume area they also had police hats, fireman helmets and a large range of costumes for adults and kids averaging a price tag of around $20. Delving further into the store I found the animal/pet section. This had a heap of collars and leads - from the very tacky to the sturdy and I picked up a new lead and collar set for my dog for just $2. I was very happy with that find, I assure you. There was also a great big hamburger squeaky toy, which I also bought. Normally my dog breaks the squeaker and the toy within about half an hour but this one has lasted over 24 hours so far. For $3 I really cannot complain. (In fact I'll probably return tomorrow and buy all the stock they have... keeping a full grown boxer dog entertained all day is a big task!) The rest of the shop had home decor type items and even some tinned foods. I noticed some pretzels but they looked to be in foreign packaging. The customer service here was great - not sure if it was Veronica I spoke to or not- and I had a good conversation for a few minutes.

Sweet Bee in Forest Hill is one seriously sweet shop. It is awesome. Imagine a shop filled with all…read moreyour favourite lollies and chocolate, then double the amount of stock you think they have and that is Sweet Bee. They have everything and the prices are totally awesome. They have boxes of Ferrero Rocher for only $6 and there is a good amount of chocolates in there too. They also have little heart shaped "little lady" chocolates for only 40 cents! Bargain. The staff here are friendly and I got a cheery smile and even a wave from one staff member as I walked in. It's amazing what a bit of chocolate can do to improve ones attitude towards customers. I wish I could have given some to some of the staff in other stores in the centre. The shop is clean and has just the right amount of space to move around in without being cavernous or squishy. Check them out!

If you are in Forest Hill Chase then this is definitely worth a look if you need a chocolate fix…read more But if you are looking for the best prices, SweetAs in The Glen typically has the same stock for a lower price.... I've seen this across multiple items so it was no once off.

Mountains of Sweets (and souvenirs) is located off the carpark that is behind Pie in the Sky café…read moreon Olinda-Monbulk Road, Olinda. It is a marvelous shop that has been around in excess of 12 years. The store itself is quaint and sweet with wooden shelves stocked up with all the candy you can imagine. The pricing is fantastic and much cheaper than I am used to shopping at major shopping centres. The shop also seemed to have a bigger range of flavours in lollies than major chains so I stocked up on a lot of my favourite varieties. As well as lollies there were also cans of Dr. Pepper at $3 amongst a variety of soft drink in a little bar fridge. In one corner was a display of soft toys and the top shelves were adorned with all sorts of confectionary related objects. In one corner were lollie-dispensing machines - very tempting indeed. The staff member in this shop was just lovely and shared a story about how Mountain of Sweets always gets mixed up with the other lolly shop in Olinda. She was so welcoming that I couldn't resist buying some Wonka Nerds before heading home. The store is open from 11-5 Monday to Friday and 10-5.30 on weekends.

Most tourist trails have their standard lolly shop to stop into. Warrandyte has its own new…read moreaddition in Warrandyte Lollies & Treats, nestled just above the river on Yarra rd. Selling a mix of old favourites and imported lollies, this store also stocks a large range of imported drinks, such as flavoured Fanta and Dr. Pepper. Unlike some, they also stock the latter in the old school bottles, so after you've finished them off, they'll make a nice retro feature on the shelf. I was taken in by the varieties of USA imported chocolates I hadn't seen at other stores like this, and had to leave before I bought enough to fill my belly and empty my mouth of my teeth. The staff are young and friendly, literally kids in a candy store, and the premises are really fresh and clean.

This store would have to be a dieters worst nightmare. Shelf upon shelf stacked with lollies, and…read morechocolates. I try to avoid this place as much as possible, but every now and then it pulls me in.. Last time I ended up leaving with a full box of Bouchee chocolates (you know, the ones that are shaped like elephant feet). You can see now why I have to aviod this place...I can't be trusted to behave in there.

There are quite a few of these Sweet As shops around - usually to be found in Centro shopping…read morecentres. Most are completely alike, stocking the same range of imported and local chocolates and lollies at just below supermarket prices. This Sweet As is a little different. Yes, it has the obligatory shelves and shelves of half-kilo and kilo packs of brightly coloured sugary things. Yes, it has all those weird and wonderful lollipops that my mother would never have let me have as a child. Yes, it even has the shelf of American choocolate, including the 4 different kinds of Reese's Peanut Butter cup. What it has in addition to all the standard requirements of a shopping centre lolly shop is great service, an owner who remembers you (although maybe that's because I went there a few too many times) and ridiculously cheap stock. I don't know where she finds it, but gourmet fudge bars at 30 cents a bar? Yes please. The specials do change regularly, but it's always worth stopping in with a gold coin because there'll be something that'll substantially satisfy your sweet tooth. The prices on the regular items are good too, without the mall markup (and, if you compare to the Chadstone markup, really excellent).

Happy vibe - relaxed service - well constructed menu - excellent coffee and food. Terrific staff…read more Very opular - worth booking!