I love an independent candy store! While visiting Columbia Park, we stopped into Nelson's per our friend's recommendation. The inside was lined on both sides with some many different candies - I was almost overwhelmed! They had fresh fruit jellies, dark and milk chocolates, rock candy, marshmallows - I could go on and on! We took home the jellies, dark chocolate almond bark, a discounted Valentine's Day chocolate heart box, handmade marshmallows and a couple of other goodies! Staff were friendly! The inside had an old western feel to it and they even had old school cash registers. It's a great place to pick up a gift and they have different holiday options - I even saw St. Patrick's Day candy out already! Check them out! read more

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I think Nelson's is my favorite candy store (ever). They hand make a lot of candies there, and in the wintertime they have candy cane making that people can do too! My favorite chocolates they make are pine nut rolls - which are also around the winter holidays. They always theme their shop around the season or holiday, and it's always well done and incredibly cute. The girls who work there are so friendly and helpful, and every time I've gotten candy as a gift for someone, their wrapping job is exquisite. I'm a local and it's a struggle not to just come get candy here every week. I recently went sugar free and they've even got something for me. Would absolutely recommend anyone stop in, they've got options for just about anyone. read more

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What an adorable candy store tucked in the heart of Columbia. It's family owned and they have three locations in the area. One here, another in Sonora, and a third in Murphys. According to their website USA Today once named them one of the top 10 candy shops in the US. How cool is that?! I was in town with friends and hadn't visited Old Town Columbia since I was a kid. The one thing I remembered was the candy, so this was an obvious stop to make during my trip. The shop is pretty small and I heard them yell several times that only 10 people were allowed in at a time. There is a sign on the door, but it's easy to miss. I think they had three staff members working and even with only 10 people allowed in at once, they were busy bees. It was a little confusing whether or not we needed to get in a line or if it was simply a free for all, but we figured it out. My friends and I tried the chocolate covered honeycomb, which was our favorite. We also got dark chocolate almond bark, peanut brittle, and your typical pecan turtles. All were delicious and we snacked on it all day long. The prices were a bit high from what I'm used to at home, but I'm not sure how they compare to other candy shops in California. If you happen to be in town, you have to give them a visit! They have everything from truffles and chocolate covered fruit to licorice, hard candies, giant jawbreakers, and gummies/jelly sweets. They are bound to have something to cure your sweet tooth. read more

Let me just start by saying that I have not had chocolate like this in California. From the moment you walk in, it feels like you stepped into a different era. The decor, the ambiance, the ladies behind the counter in their lovely get up and the sweet smell all transports you to a different time. We got a bunch of different types of chocolates and candies (New Year Resolutions not withstanding. Our favorite chocolates out of all our loot were: 1. Australian pears dipped in chocolate 2. Orange peel dipped in chocolate 3. Ginger dipped in chocolate 4. English toffee was one of the best I have ever had 5. Pine nut rounds 6. Honeycomb dipped in chocolate From the candies we got, we really liked the Australian Strawberry Licorice and the Dutch Mix licorice. I am not a big licorice fan but this licorice was very soft and yummy. Also, the fresh fruit chews were amazing, we got all the flavors and they were all super good. A big shout out to the lovely ladies, very patient and helpful to customers. read more

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Now this is one of the very best candy stores I've ever had the pleasure of walking in!!! It is an old fashioned general store and the wonderful staff are dressed in time period clothing! It's absolutely perfect!! Go back in time and get you everything under the sun to enjoy! Sours to sweets to sugar free! It's all there...and more!! read more

I absolutely loved the rocky road chocolate !!! We bought peanut brittle ..rock candy ..gold coins ..Smore Bars ...the store was so nice and quaint and I loved the candy jars and also the gift options ..very cute apron..puzzles and mugs etc!!! Staff was very friendly and helpful. read more

On our way home from Yosemite we realized we were passing near Columbia, where my friend had spent a few years growing up, so we decided to pay a visit. As a child she had lived there back in the 1950s, and she was hoping to see her old home, a trailer park, and her old school, but mostly the old candy store. Whenever she had a few coins she'd walk quite a distance to visit that store. And here we were, almost 70 years later, sanding on same wood-planked sidewalks, and looking up at the sign. It was her store. We went inside. It had not changed. A few tears were shed. read more

I can never say no to homemade sweets! They make something called Divinity (kind of like similar ingredients to meringue but cooked differently) and it's super soft, fluffy and delicious! I can't really describe what it is or tastes like but they do give samples if you ask. I bought dark chocolate covered honey comb (it's like freeze dried texture) and again it was light and airy with a perfect crunch. The dark chocolate actually works perfect with the honey comb to balance the sweetness. If you're in the area, definitely stop by as you won't be disappointed! read more

Very friendly staff in a fun store. Very fitting for the area of historic Columbia. All the candy is amazing, my daughter had been wanting to visit a candy store for a good while and we decided to make a day out of it. We'll definitely be coming back. read more

HAVE AGAIN: The milk chocolate almond bark is the best I've ever had. Next time, purchase 2 pounds.

Cute shop, great selection of excellent candies. Chocolates and many others made in house! Don't miss it. Reasonable prices.

Love this little candy store, lots of nice stuff to serve our sweet tooth. Sea salt almond dark chocolate is awesome. They have a good protocol for crowd control, limited visitors are allowed at the store at anytime read more

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Limited amount of customers allowed in due to covid, and precautions taken are much appreciated! Good selection of goodies, and they're delicious as well! Slightly steep prices but hey, you're paying for quality. The area is super cute and you can't miss this little gem! read more

Nelson's Columbia Candy Kitchen - Candy Stores Near Me - Columbia, California

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I love candy stores! We stumbled across Nelson's while checking out Columbia State Historic Park. As we were walking down Main Street, we decided to check it out and I'm glad we did! Once you walk in, you'll instantly feel like you've stepped back in time during the gold rush era. Even more, the staff are decked out in dresses from that time period. The shop was also beautifully decorated for Christmas. They offer many different types of candy- from hard candies to decadent chocolates offered in milk, dark and white chocolate. The woman behind the counter was very attentive and patient as we looked around and decided what to get. I asked for some recommendations and she kindly shared with me the more popular candies. There were so many options to choose from, but I wanted to try a little bit of what they had to offer. I got: -lemon hard candies -homemade jellies (raspberry, blackberry, cranberry) -sea salt chocolates in milk and dark -milk chocolate haystack -English toffee (puts See's Candies version to shame) -milk chocolate marshmallow caramel bar My favorites were the hard candies, homemade jellies, English toffee and the milk chocolate marshmallows caramel bar. I love the fact that the jellies are made with real fruit! And you can taste it in every bite. The chocolate haystack was very salty and I didn't care for the sea salt chocolates. The candies are priced by the pound except for a select number of chocolates which are individually priced. A must stop if you're checking out the park! read more

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Sarah was so attentive and helpful! All of their candies and chocolates are delicious and worth the drive up! Everything was fresh! Perfect to grab your favorite candies and walk the strip of history of Columbia State Park! It's a must to stop by!!! read more

Let me start by saying that the ladies in here were the absolute sweetest on a pretty busy day! The shop just feels homey in a nostalgic way and they had the cutest Halloween decorations up! We tried the fudge and the divinity which was divine! Totally worth a stop in. read more

We stopped by the Day after Thanksgiving, which was the first day that Nelson's started making candy canes. It was really fun for the kids to watch how candy canes are rolled and packaged. We bought a large candy cane, couple peanut butter cups, and fudge -- all were delicious. I wish I could spend more time here, but there was a long line outside due to the small number of people allowed in the store, so I rushed out as soon as possible to allow others to come in...when COVID is over, I will camp here. read more

Yummmm!! We came in here after having a few drinks to celebrate just getting married and now this place is a go to must have whenever we visit our cabin ! Smells so sweet inside too! read more

Nelson's Columbia Candy Kitchen - Candy Stores Near Me - Columbia, California

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It was crowded and people were lined up outside, but they know how to move a crowd through quickly. Our helper was attentive and very friendly; the chocolate was awesome! [Should have got more.] A little expensive, but I feel it was a special treat well worth it. I'm kicking myself for not taking a photo of the candy in the glass cases for the review. Overall, our family really enjoyed our visit to Columbia State Park today, and Nelson's Candy Kitchen was the proverbial "icing on the cake". read more

Nelson's Columbia Candy Kitchen - Candy Stores Near Me - Columbia, California

I really dislike doing this review but I feel they need some customer service skills. I have been into both locations numerous times and never once have I been greeted or smiled at. They literally have 5 or more employees with a limit of 5 customers at a time. They are NOT over busy and just seem so unhappy it makes you a little nervous. The candy is delicious, my kids love it. But the whole experience is not fun. read more

Rudest staff ever. We didn't see the sign of how many they were letting in at a time. I was in the process of getting kids out to obey the limit and the chubby woman who pulled her mask all the way down to scream at me was highly unnecessary and horrible. So you are trying to uphold the limit of people inside while pulling your mask off and yell at customers. Cool. We have always loved coming here and made a special way out of the way stop to come today to be greeted with the nastiest woman who proceeded to talk about us while we were still outside. I can not imagine having an employee run off 200$ that we spent at the candy vault in sonora instead. read more

AMAZING. I just cannot get over this place. It is a family run business in the heart of historic Columbia which is a state park but also a working town. The Nelson family has been the owners of this gem since the 1930's and the family is still running it. Handmade candies fill the store, chocolates, jelly candies, brittles, and more. They have a pretty darn large selection of handmade sugar-free candies for those watching sugars. They also have some extraordinarily delicious confections of caramel and chocolate. They make their own butterscotches, using real butter. Open year round, don't miss out! Another special, special treat is during the holidays they have a real special tradition of Candy Cane making. They have a room the public can view and watch the process and even get a warm candy cane sample! They also have a lottery where you can throw your name in the ring with a party of up to 10 to be a part of making the candy canes!!! They take the postcards they received right up till labor day and do a drawing!! Nearly 400 people a year get to take part in this very special experience. While the candy cane making is going on a family member comes out and explains what you are watching. You get a very cool history of their family who still resides in the area, and see which houses they actually inhabited while living in town. People from as far as the bay area were there this weekend. It's something they do annually so I think that speaks volumes to make that trek. It's definitely special. read more

Excellent homemade hard candy, especially the ribbon candy and the drops, which are increasingly difficult to find. Nelson's Columbia Candy Kitchen is the real deal--where most of the stuff is handmade, and the people working behind the counters know what they're talking about. The chocolate stuff was fine (I enjoyed a giant peanut butter cup), but really, the hard candy is where this place shines. They have drops of all kinds and ribbon candy (in season) and it comes in every flavor you could imagine. When I was there, we got a pack of "breakfast" which was a white chocolate egg and maple-flavored ribbon candy. The kids were entranced by the egg, but I loved the ribbon candy!! It was really special, and worth the splurge. If you're visiting the historic Columbia downtown, this place is a must stop! read more

Great family run business. The staff is friendly and helpful even on the busiest days. Over thanksgiving weekend they have a fun to watch candy cane making demonstration. Bonus they hand out samples if you watch them making the candy. Check for times. read more

Loved this candy shop! Aside from the courteous staff, all dressed in old gold rush era clothing, the store had 3 old scales, all accurate and in perfect working order. What a unique charm! ~85% of the candy sold here is made in house and they did let us sample some of the candies. Their selection includes Hard candy, jelly squares, fudge, chocolate covered nuts, assortments of brittle, gummy bears and licorice. What won me over was the large selection of sugar free chocolate! A rarity for this diabetic to find in a small town! I was so excited!! Even the pricing for the SF chocolate wasn't excessive. I got a 1/4 box that showed me to choose over a dozen pieces, all for less than $12. They had a number of signs saying which selections traveled well in heat, a major plus when it's 100 degrees outside. We did buy some chocolates that stayed in the car for a little while in the heat and they were just fine. We will definitely visit this candy store again next time we are in the area. read more

Nelson's Columbia Candy Kitchen - Morgan loves his chocolate! - Candy Stores Near Me - Columbia, California

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This is the nicest and busiest candy store I've seen in all the gold rush towns. (And isn't every gold rush town required to have a candy and fudge store?) The only larger one with a larger selection is Weirschem's in Jackson, especially in the taffy department. However, Columbia Candy Kitchen seems to have more in what's important, the chocolate department. They have a nice selection of chocolate dipped candies and sugar free chocolates. read more

This candy store had really good hospitality and stayed open until their final timing. Not only do they offer regular candy and treats but also sugar-free options which is nice! They respect the limited-space for the current covid situation if that's something you're concerned with. All around, very sweet customer-service! read more

I have enjoyed candy from this store for decades, my grandfather used to bring me here as a kid. When I was a kid I liked the rock candy, however I always liked their English Toffee which is my favorite now. No trip to Columbia CA is complete without a stop at this shop. read more

Columbia Candy kitchen is the absolute best! Their candy is delicious! Great customer service. The ambiance is very charming. The Rocky Road & Honeycomb are my personal favorites. My HB likes anything with nuts. A must do when in Columbia! watching them make candy canes at Christmas really gets you in the holiday spirit read more

This candy store is a historical treasure. The kitchen is right next door, and you can look through the windows and watch the candy being made. The candy crafters were making candy canes when we were there before christmas. The actual store is a step back in time with lots of candy selections. Be sure to ask if the candy is made on the premises. You want those, not the ones made in New York City. All the candy made in the kitchen is excellent, but be prepared to pay very high prices. read more

Well rounded selection of candies. Everything from chocolates, to brittle, to sours, to fudge. read more

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My friend had leftovers from before the covid 19 the peanut butter cups were impeccable!!

Drove grandson 2 hrs not allowed in because this store refused service to 6 yrs old because he had no mask . God sees all We patronized every other store without. Hopefully they see the evil as mask aren't required in schools or anywhere else at this time! read more

An absolute MUST if you are traveling through this area! Salty caramels, hardcore licorice, truffles, gifts.....they've got it all. great service too! read more

If you are in the area visiting Yosemite, please stop by, you won't regret it! Columbia State Park was a big part of my husband's childhood, and we are now making it part of our children's as well. A major MAJOR part of the experience is Nelson's. Walking into the shop, you'll notice how (like the rest of CSP), you stepped back in time. Look above the candy to your right, and look at their collection of candy dishes. Directly underneath is a large assortment of REAL licorice, and my favorite candy they offer - hard drops. You might be saying to yourself, "But Hard Candies are so booooooring!' You, Sir, would be wrong. sure, you can get cheery, watermelon and the like, but they also make anise, clove, horehound, and sassafras. They are all silky smooth, and really a treat. Normally I'm a chocolate kind of gal, but something about their hard drops makes me feel like a little kid again! They dip a wide assortments of items in chocolate, I'm partial to the candied orange peel. Notice it isn't the sugary sweet orange bar, but an actual piece of candied peel. They also have an assortment of chocolate dipped nuts, in very nice clusters of 2-4 or so, very nice and simple. My additional favorite is their butterscotch candies, in a small jar above the jellies. Very much like a werther's original, only much MUCH better. Speaking of the jellies, really, the blackberry is so ridiculously good, almost too good! A stray seed here and there, I like this, shows the homemade aspect. It;s so rich and fresh tasting......you'll love it, I promise! I hope that when you stop by, you'll look in the window next door to see their candy making facilities. they have several large marble-topped tables, and the walls and outer tables are decked out with old candy molds and copper pots, all items that they use! It really seems magical, and you don't have to be a kid to feel it! Nothing else I say here can do this shop justice, do yourself a favor and stop here with your family, and make the Columbia State Park/Nelson's Candy Kitchen trip a tradition of your own. I'm looking forward to our first December family trip for their famous candy canes and ribbon candy, and look forward to the years to come. read more

Went to Columbia candy kitchen today. Was immediately told we couldn't enter without a mask. Despite no one else being in the shop. We are in the omicron it's just a cold era mind you. Masks are useless for omicron. The small child I was with was disappointed. Especially since we came especially for the candy and were prepared to spend money. So happy all of the other shops took it instead. Will never give my hard earned money to shop that is so discriminatory. read more

Oh. My. Goodness!! This is a very, very bad place for a diet. They have every type of "old tyme" candy you can imagine, and lots that you can't. From hard suckers and lolly pops bigger than your head, to amazing fruit chews, divinity, and fudge, to chocolate covered everything... You won't be sorry. (Until later, when you can't zip your pants! ;) This place is amazing and not to be missed on your trip to Columbia. read more

Adorable place, and the candy is quite good. The prices are a bit exorbitant, and I wish they stayed open later. I also felt like the layout of the store isn't ideal. Lacking in signage and the registers are at the back center only, even though the candy is spread out everywhere and the customer service will help you from anywhere, but it makes a "line" unclear, so it's a little chaotic, more than it probably should be. read more

Although fudge is awesome, was very disappointed at packaging. All flavors cut into little sqaures and just thrown in box together. Maple nut was very soft and stuck to all the others. Plus l didn't receive my free half pound. Definitely not worth the money. read more

Such a fun step back in time. I have been coming here since I was little 25+ years ago to watch the candy canes being made read more

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