Review Visit: September 17th, 2014…read more Sugar. Spice. Everything nice. Like in a lot of smaller towns, you'll usually have or find a business that deals in candy. Sugary confections. Sweet treats. Candy from yesteryears. Soda (pop) in more varieties than you care for it to come in. Things you think you'd never see again and things you fall in love with. Holland's Mercantile fills that role for Washington, IL. My friend Matt and I decided to spend an afternoon exploring the Washington Square to see what the town and it's folk offered. The words on the front of the store's glass got me excited at the possibilities held inside. As we opened the door and headed in, the excitement increased tenfold. It was like being a kid in a candy store. Except that we are adults... in a candy store. Upon entering, I first noticed the long row of candy in the glass containers where you can scoop out as much as you want. Lining the walls were a million different candy from a million different times and cultures. I saw things I hadn't seen in years. They had stuff I didn't think existed in time where color TV is the norm. On top of the candy, they also had a display case full of baked goods. Whether these are made in-house or from a local bakery, I am not sure. Either way, the stuff looked fantastic behind the glass. Turtles. Truffles. Caramel Bars. It all looked so good that I think my blood sugar level elevated just looking at the offerings. This store has more than just candy, baked goodies, and sweets from everyone's childhood. They also had the novelty toys from the same time period the candy/sweets come from. There were novelty toys that tied in to current day trends but they also had toys that kids from our time would enjoy just as much as kids from the time from which they came. I also think there was a back room that was full of a combination of everything the store offered. On this day, I let my inner child run wild and I picked up a small sack full of candy. I didn't want to get too much because I don't have the best self-control when it comes to my sweet tooth. Next door is another Holland's store that offers up popcorn in many different flavors and even more soda to pick from. This store did remind me of the candy store from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, minus the Candy Man tossing candy to and fro. Though that would've been quite the sight to see. The store just has this feeling of being a great place to get your sweet tooth fix while reliving items from your childhood and also your parent's childhood. I will end this with a warning. If you have kids and bring them here... expect to drop a lot of money on sweets and toys. It's easy to spend a small fortune in a place like this. Also, don't let your kids see Holland's Caramelcorn next door. They might get loaded up on sugar and then get popcorn cheese everywhere. How sweet it is.

The best variety of popcorn indulgence is waiting for you at Hollands. It is hands down better…read morethan Garrett's! I make trips to central Illinois, and this is one of my must do stops!

My son & husband had shakes, I had a two scoop sundae. The flavors were the Fat Elvis & Kitty Kitty…read moreBang Bang it was so yummy! They were pretty busy but everyone was taken care of quickly. And the two ladies working there was a great team, both assisted each to complete the orders

This store is amazing. Usually, candy in bins is a little stale, but it was so soft and fresh I…read morecouldn't believe it. We also bought the amazing rice krispy treats (dairy free)- one covered in jelly beans and one covered in nerds. Again, the jelly beans were so soft & fresh. The rice krispy treat was so gooey and delicious- I ate pieces at a time because it was so big. This store was a delightful find on a weekday when not much was open. My daughter with allergies was very happy to find some safe options. Will definitely be back next time I'm in town.

Ahhh, Pease's...the bane of every parent who had a child at Butler Elementary School right around…read morethe corner, and the most pleasurable part of going to school for said students, Pease's is a Springfield institution. Penny candies are displayed throughout the store, with little bags for gathering your selections. Many hard to find and obscure candies available by the piece - it's a great way to blow your allowance if you are 7 and a great way to blow your breakfast change from D&J if you are an adult. The real draw for most people (nostalgia trips notwithstanding) are the handmade chocolates. Pease's has been making chocolates in Springfield since the 1930's and is still family owned. You won't find chile infused chocolates here, but you will find great old fashioned candies, packaged by the sweetest ladies you ever met, it really is a wonderful place to pick up a gift or a little something for yourself.

Peases takes me back to when I was a little girl. Whenever I found any change, you know in the…read moresofa. I would hop on my bright orange Schwinn with the banana seat and ride like the wind to Peases. I would get a small brown paper bag and fill it with penny candies. Everyone at Peases is as sweet as they can be. My Grandmother gets each of us a large cream filled chocolate egg with our name on it every Easter from Peases. Now that my sister, mom and I live in AZ those eggs get flown out every year! It is a family tradition. If you have never been to Peases go you wont be disappointed, well unless your looking for a hamburger then you will be. : )

Review Visit: December 28th, 2019…read more Candies, sodas, gums, ice cream... oh my! After having a drink and lunch at Happy Thought Coffee, we needed some dessert. We each had a $25 gift card to Little Land of Candy, so walked up there to pick out some sweets. We entered and were greeted with a cluttered front of the store. The first 10 feet felt like they were packing up all their christmas decorations as there were boxes everywhere. There was also a table of assorted tupperware containers for sale. Quite the odd entrance area but we quickly moved beyond that and entered the Willy Wonka Chocolate factory-like place. Despite it being a smaller shop, it was packed to the brim with things that would make a diabetic person swoon from just looking around. Candies, chocolates, gummies, sodas, energy drinks and so on and so forth were lining the walls and shelves. We all grabbed a hand basket and set to town spending our $25. Aside from a few things, nothing really had a price label. So we threw caution to the wind and started loading our baskets up with more snacks than any one person should really have. We browsed the store front to back, side to side, picking up random stuff and tossing it in our baskets. After about 20 minutes, we all had picked out our goodies and proceeded to the cashier. The cashier was super patient and friendly as we all checked out at the same time. Not knowing what each thing cost, we had no idea what our totals would come close to. Matt was first to go and spent $26.50. I was second and my total was $35.50. Tim was last and spent the least at around $25.95. We quickly gathered up our sugar and headed back to the car. If you've ever been to a local candy store, this place will feel familiar. If you've ever been to a Rocket Fizz, then you'll recognize some of the brands and products in this place. Some stuff was even labeled with the Rocket Brand logo. This was a pleasant surprise as I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to one of their stores before. If you find yourself with a sweet tooth and in the Chillicothe area, Little Land of Candy will surely have what your sweet tooth desires. You might even find a few new odds and ends there that you fall in love with.

If you have a craving for candy, this is your place. They have all the old school candy and they…read morenew trends. It's right next door to the movie theater in case you want to take something to the movie.

Wow, what a great lunch at this historic staple in downtown Moline. I always knew about the candy,…read morebut the lunch was delightful. We met another couple and we each got a sandwich. They were all fresh, nicely sized, delicious, and very reasonably priced. Their homemade bread is REALLY good, and my wife got Egg Salad on white (not made in-house), but also good. Our friends split a delectable selection from their ice cream specialty menu, and I got a scoop of their strawberry ice cream-delicious! Service was excellent, and the vibe is fantastic. Definitely grab lunch...and some sweet treats.

Stopped in while on the job. Old School feel with a counter…read morefor lunch and the candy is great What a great place to visit and any of the candy will put a smile on your face

What a super neat ice cream and candy shop! Cute decor, friendly service, and yummy treats. We…read moretried the bubble waffles with an Oreo topping. Wow! I cannot wait to go again next time I am in the Morton/Peoria area.

Tasty and yummy I like this place. The dole whip is very tasty and they make the place look nice…read moretoo!!

I grew up in central Illinois and would visit this shop in high school. I've loved their chocolates…read moreever since I first tried them, and missed them desperately when I moved out of state. I'm so thrilled to see that they now ship nationwide, and I'm able to enjoy a little taste of home all the way out in Colorado. Looking forward to my shipment coming!

Such a lovely stop -- the kind of shop where you're greeted with a smile and feel instantly at…read moreease. Everything was neat, inviting, and thoughtfully arranged. The chocolates are rich and memorable, the treats creative, and the caramel apples... well, they're worth coming back for on their own. A place that feels both special and welcoming -- highly recommend.

A chocolate lovers dream store. Walked in and a sweet employee approached me with samples. The…read morestore is so well lit, Isles and rows of candy. In the back is there clearance section. They have HUGE valentines heart boxes of candy. Get one for your sweetheart, it doesn't need to be Valentine's Day to share the love. (That was just a helpful tip) They have homemade taffy apples made fresh daily, ice cream, homemade fudge and a cute area to sit and enjoy it all. Wonderful employees, might I add. If you like chocolate, you need to make a trip to this store.

Great location, just off the highway easy to get to. In and out, got Ice cream and chocolate and…read morecontinued on my way back to Kansas City