Coons Candy - First Visit Let's go ahead and name what some of us have probably thought: pulling up to a place called Coons Candy comes with hesitation -- especially as a Black customer. It's an unspoken (and sometimes spoken) moment of pause, wondering what kind of experience you're walking into. But curiosity -- and a soft spot for old-school sweets -- led us to check it out. To my surprise, the staff couldn't have been more welcoming. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted with friendly smiles and offered samples of fudge, toffee, and a few other homemade treats. That immediately softened the moment and brought on a bit of nostalgia -- felt like walking into one of those general stores my MawMaw would take me to, or a Cracker Barrel stop on a road trip. The store itself is exactly what you'd expect from a small-town candy shop: shelves packed with retro candies, novelty drinks, locally made honey and syrups, quirky gifts, and yes -- edible bugs. It's cozy and cluttered in a fun, old-school way. We left with: * Boba Vida popping pearls (dark cherry) * Sugar Daddy, Victory sticks, Stallion candy smokes, raspberry & green apple sticks * Locally made honey * A mix of glass-bottle sodas: * Sioux City Ginger Beer + Prickly Pear * Reading Draft Honey Cream * Drive-In Cherry Limeade * Nehi Peach * Ginger Strawberry tea * Hot & Spicy Ginger Beer This is definitely a place for folks who love that nostalgic candy-store vibe and don't mind digging through shelves of old favorites and funky surprises. ‍ Final take: It was a mixed bag. The selection was fun and the staff made us feel welcome. But the name? It sticks -- and not in a sweet way. That hesitation doesn't go away entirely, and I'd understand if someone else passed on the visit for that reason alone. I'm glad I saw it for myself. Would I go back? Maybe. Would I recommend it? Depends who's asking. read more

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We stopped by today & had to buy some of the delicious fudge! Utterly charming store. I will never drive past again. Wonderful chocolates, hard candies & so much cuteness! Plus, really sweet people. I'm so glad we stopped! If you have a problem with name, please get some professional help. You're ridiculous. It's their last name. read more

Great gifts and candy galore worth the trip to the store , great gift finds too Must return soon Lots of parking 5 star read more

They have the best fudge and handmade treats. The staff is always so nice. We drive 45 min. To get here and it is worth it.

A real life sugar shack! A great stop off the highway to satisfy your sweet tooth. One side is the candy and snacks, and the other side is a gift shop filled with treasures. We enjoyed a sample of the delicious toffee and bought some chocolates to enjoy on our road trip. read more

Coons Candy - a red building with a green awning - Candy Stores Near Me - Harpster, Ohio

Roadside stand with tons of great kitsch, knick knacks and candy of course. They were super friendly and helpful and the candy was so delightful as I drove from Chicago to West Virginia. I will admit I stopped for the sheer fact that the name of this place probably would make many peoples heads melt into a puddle of second hand offended goo. And I am very glad that I did because they helped me find a wonderful place to eat further down the road and places to visit on my little solo journey through the rectangular states. Lot's of parking!! read more

Nice clean candy store on one side and retail merchandise on the other half. Like many things candy is also getting expensive. I purchased an 8 oz. box of crystallized ginger for $3.00. Had some sweat and still had strong ginger taste. Maybe too much for some. I purchased an 8 oz. box of candied kiwi slices for $3.75. I think that because I had the ginger before trying the kiwi that the kiwi tasted like fish. I had a few more kiwi slices and they started tasting like candied kiwi. My wife said they tasted nasty. You be the judge. I purchased a 12 oz. box of liquorice all sorts for $4.50. I tried several to be fair to the assortment. Most of them are flavorless. Over all, not happy about two out of three of these items. Note that each time that I have opened the kiwi slices they had a smell like that of fish. read more

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How lucky am I. I stepped out my front door to find a package filled with goodies from all over Ohio In among all the goodness was a package of Old English toffee. Too bad hubby saw it because I had to split it with him. Boy is it good. Fairly priced at $18 a pound. Dont you hate it when stores put candy in a box that looks like a pound but is considerably less than a pound. Well checking Coons website, their boxes are 1 pound! They seem to specialize in this toffee as well as assorted chocolates and fudge. Even their fudge looks good and NOONE makes better fudge than my dad. Anyway, I intended to have one piece of toffee, but had 2...okay I had 4. This stuff is addicting. read more

Wow! Once in a lifetime find in the middle of Ohio! We were just driving back from exploring the caves and waterfalls of Hocking Hills, when we accidentally came across this place. The toffee is amazing, a great selection of chocolates, and the owners were super friendly. I sampled and bought what I could, without seeming too indulgent! They also have a little knick knack areas, retro toys, and old style candies. But I was blown away by their large scale Corinthian and Shenandoah chime collections actually. I didn't realize that these soft, deep sounding, gong-like chimes are hard to find and experience in person. Now that I'm back home in CA, I should have bought a set while I was there. I may travel all the way from LA to check those out again. As well as the delicious toffee! read more

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I've been meaning to stop in on my multiple stops up and down 23 and finally go to today. The candy, nuts, jams selection is amazing, not to mention the sundries on the other side of the store. We had a lot of fun exploring the large store and talking with the 5th generation owner. I can't believe they've been making homemade candy for 100 years. Wow! Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. Get a bag of their toffee, too. So good! read more

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Cute little candy shop and collectible store in OH. They have delicious candy and lots of things to look at. We make an annual stop here on our way to Columbus and I always spend more money than I should. . My only negative is that the last time i visited, the owners were talking with a "regular" customer for a very long time and I had to wait while they finished their conversation. It was long enough that I thought of returning my items to their respective places and leaving. Other than that- the store is full of delicious candy treats and lots of home decor. read more

I've seen the sign for Coon's Candies for over 10 years along Route 23, when I used to drive back and forth almost every weekend to and from college in Toledo, and always meant to stop but never managed to make the time for it. After my visit there recently, my waistline was glad I had never been there before but the rest of my body was kicking myself the rest of the way home. First of all, they make the majority of the candy they sell. This includes all of the myriad of amazing fudge flavor options. Not being able to choose just one flavor, I did the logical thing and chose...four. While they were all top notch, the raspberry cheesecake and the Heath bar ones were my personal favorites. In addition to the myriad of types of candy lining the shelves, there were all kinds of country-style wares all over the place that could be used as decorations for your home. It was unexpected, but gave the place a feel as something more than just a sugar-pushing #1 enemy of your local dentist. For as out of the way as this place is, I was pleasantly surprised that they also took credit cards. It seems like when you go to places off the beaten path, it can be a crapshoot as to if you can use your favorite piece of plastic or not. This definitely brought me to spend more than I originally had planned, but my sweet tooth certainly wasn't complaining. I've started making Coon's a standard stop along my many trips up and down Route 23, and definitely recommend that others do the same. Edited to fix typos. read more

Like always, I left this store very happy. Then again, who goes into a candy store angry am I right?? Anyways, there's a lot of hand made (REAL HAND MADE, not made in a factory and delivered) choices and I haven't had a bad piece of anything yet. Over the top friendly customer service. There's other cool items for your home as well such as nice wind chimes, decorations, candles, fun shirts, and way more. Made me feel like apart of one big family. Would recommend. P.s. bring in about $60-100 Because there's no way to just pick one thing. read more

Well I've never been here but we were shipped a box of their English Toffee Fudge. I don't really know how to describe this candy... heaven? mouth orgasam? devilsh? Maybe all of the above? I do know that after eating it I could feel a cavity I didn't know I had before. read more

Loved the little place. We've been a few times now. Chocolate was expensive, but as expected. Usually hand made chocolate is. One thing I noticed is they sell candy you can get at Walmart in a bag for more money. It's great for the "hard to find candy" and their chocolate does taste good. We will definitely return someday. read more

Employees were polite and great customer service. Candy was tasty. Disappointed the employees were not wearing masks, used shared pens for credit card receipts, no signs about social distancing, and no hand sanitizer. read more

We try to stop at Coon's every time we pass by - it's a great little candy and gift shop just south of Upper Sandusky. They advertise "300 Kinds" of candy, and I believe it! How they get you - a free sample of their English toffee as you walk in the door. It is soooo good and makes your mouth water for more treats. Their homemade candy, bulk candy, retro candy, fudge, chocolate or white chocolate covered anything - they have it. Honey, jellies, popcorn, maple syrup, too. We're BIG fans of their maple popcorn - tastes like pancakes. If you don't have the sweet tooth, half of the shop is non-food items, like yard decorations, OSU items, toys, candles, household décor, flags, etc. Kitsch central, and a great way to break up the monotony of the highway drive. read more

I drive up and down State route 23 on a very regular basis. For years I wondered what exactly was inside the building at Coons Candy. On the day I happened to stop, I had all three of my dogs with me. One of The owners happened to look out and see all three of them with their heads hanging out the windows. As I was making my purchase, she struck up a conversation. Now every time I stop in for toffee, chocolate covered pretzels, caramel corn, or any of the preserves or pickles that I have come to enjoy, she always asks about the dogs. Even when they are not With me. I am sure they see hundreds of people in between my visits, but the customer service and the quality of their products are two of the things that keep me coming back! read more

I used to drive by regularly before I retired. The signs made me curious, and I eventually stopped in. I found a cozy little store filled with every kind of candy imaginable! My absolute favorite was the Butterfinger fudge. Wonderful, melt in your mouth good! Give this place a try. You won't be sorry! read more

Wonderful store where you are treated like home. The maple popcorn is one favorite and the variety of candy and gifts are amazing there's something for everyone stop by and check it out. read more

The place is a landmark and although I've only stopped twice, I've driven by at least 100 times going to/from Toledo/Columbus. Nice folks. Home made candies. Lots of Cracker-Barrel-esque countryware. Not particularly my style, but memorable as a nice diversion on the most boring drive I can imagine. read more

Great Store! Lots of awesome things to look at. Great gift ideas too. The fudge and assorted boxes of chocolates are fabulous. Jelly, jam, maple syrup, popcorn and so much more!! Definitely a place to stop and shop. Great service too! read more

I left 1 star because I had to, to move on. Just left the store and I was called stupid. I have shirt on that had a donkey and the word "smart" in front of it, meaning smart a**. Never thought of the political meaning and I don't think it is meant to make one. However when the female working at coons seen it she said I thought all Democrats were stupid. Not having any political stuff on I Did not know how she knew I was a Democrat. I said I was a dem and pretty smart. Smart enough not to insult a customer in the store. So from now on instead of stopping there twice in one week I will be buying a Hersey bar or Reese cup. Instead of supporting you. Think about this, Ohio went democrat in 2012. So over 50% of the state you insulted. Most of us are smart enough not to shop somewhere the thinks we are stupid. Pulled up next to a car in Columbus with 2 bumper stickers "obama 2012" and " I love obamacare" so I pulled up next to her Asked her if she knew of "coons" she said yes. Do I told her about coons candy demeaning comment. She said thanks! And I will continue to do what I can. read more

I passed this place several times before stopping. The candy is expensive and a big disappointment. The owners were very rude. I've never felt so unwelcomed in a store before. I will never return. read more

We stopped at Coon's on the way home from Hocking Hills. Everyone was really excited to grab some great candy and snacks! Unfortunately, our expectations outweighed what Coon's Candy offered. Most of our bulk candy/snack were stale, and for being an Ohio business, the Buckeyes were not all that great. Their "dark chocolate" tasted like an odd mix of cocoa powder, sugar, and cough syrup. And the prices were extremely high...each small bag of chocolate was at least $6-7 each, even though all the bags were different weights. I personally don't think chocolate covered marshmallows (which were just regular round, store bought marshmallows), should be the same price as other chocolates like turtles or jellies. The fudge looked ok...but we get local mackinaw fudge in our area, so I didn't even try it. Bulk taffy was fresh, and you could bag your favorite flavors. Giant pecan turtle was really good too. Another problem we had that day, was with the service. The employees didn't seem all that friendly, or very interested in being helpful. I asked a few questions and got a few very short answers. I also asked if I could sample a candy, and while they did let me, a bit of attitude lingered in the response. I don't think asking for a single sample should be a problem, especially when the customer asking has at least $30 worth of candy in hand already. (Not to mention the other people purchasing in the entire party.) I am glad I tried the cherry cream as a sample though...overly sweet, and barely a hint of cherry flavor. All in all, it's a pretty typical candy store. Nothing special and probably wouldn't stop again. I can get better, fresher candy from a local bulk food store. (And for much cheaper!) read more

I recently had the chance to stop in to Coons Candy after passing it many years when we traveled along Route 23. The English Toffee candy is very good. However I was bit disappointed with the 1 lb. box of chocolate I purchased I thought it would of been assorted candies with soft & hard. Although the taste of the chocolate was good. It just seemed to have bunch of broken pieces of chocolate & Toffee tossed in the box. Guess next time I get a chance to stop I will just purchase individual pieces. read more

This place is such a cool store! The candy is delicious, and they carry candies that I haven't seen anywhere else in years! The people in there are the nicest people as well! They're so friendly and seem so genuine that it made me want to buy more and support their business! I would definitely recommend stopping in to see all of the cool items they carry and get some delicious candy! read more