Spring weather always reminds me of visiting my grandparents, aunt, and cousins when I was young. My parents and some of my 4 siblings spent school vacation time in Warren, Michigan. My memories are abundant!
I replay one moment in my mind like it was yesterday: visiting The Penny Candy store. It was a huge deal! I know I talked about it with anticipation while we packed, during the long car ride, and when we arrived. My Mom, Auntie Diane (we called her Chiocia, pronounced cha-cha, which is aunt in Polish), and my youngest cousin Mike would make this pilgrimage most visits.
The 4 of us would hop in our green, brown-paneled station wagon or my aunt’s cool purple AMC Hornet for the ride there. Mike and I would be so excited when my Mom treated us each with a $5 bill! That was a huge amount of money in the ’70s just to spend on candy. It sure beat the 2 quarters we would put in our shoes to bike to our local Five-And-Dime store back home.
There were displays of candy everywhere. Most were, literally, penny candy. You name it, they had it. Bit-O-Honey, tiny boxes of Chiclets, fireballs, Kits (who remembers those?), Double Bubble, Royals, Mary Janes, Zots, B-B Bats, Jujy Fruits, candy necklaces, candy cigarettes, jaw breakers, Black Jack taffy, Space Dust, and Necco Wafers. We needed them to play Communion with during our visit..lol.
We always ended our outing at the ice cream counter in the store. My cousin and I always got the same flavor…Superman! Who cares what it tasted like, we loved the colors!
We grasped our brown paper bags full of treats and when we got to my grandparent’s house, dumped it on their green carpet in the living room, separating and looking at our choices just like it was Halloween night.
Our visits were always a blast, but taking a special trip with just me, my Mom, aunt, and cousin was always my favorite part of our Michigan road trip. Was it because there was candy involved? Yes! But more than that, we were making memories, After all, 45-plus years later I can remember that time laughing, feeling so carefree, and just being a kid. My heart still sings!
Nicole MacPherson
What a great memory! Those candy necklaces were amazing. I loved Sweet Tarts too, that came in a big roll. I remember how life changing it would be when a new candy was launched, since that didn’t happen often. I clearly remember Nerds coming out!
myheartinpen
Candy and sugar is my vise..lol. Not something I am proud of. I’m the one that looks at the dessert menu before the appetizers. I’m happy to report that Easter is next week and I haven’t opened the bag that I bought yet!
Writer McWriterson
I love old-fashioned candy stores! I even have a list saved in my phone of the ones that still exist. My dad loved candy too, so I always thought that when the time felt right, I’d do a little tour of them in his honor.
Candy meant so much to us as kids, didn’t it? I remember loving Big League Chew, candy cigarettes, candy necklaces, and Jolly Ranchers.
This was a fun post—thanks for the trip down memory lane! 😘💜
myheartinpen
I love that your Dad loved candy! Boy, a penny candy tour sounds right up my alley! You’re right, as kids candy was our life..lol! I loved it all but my favorites were Marathon Bars and Laffy Taffy. We used to put the taffy on our driveway in the sun so it would get really soft. Aww..those were the days!
Writer McWriterson
Marathon Bars! Yes! I loved Banana flavored Laffy Taffy. And yes, we used to do that in our driveway!
Suz
I remember seeing bins full of candy at what we called The Five and Dime store. Probably the same thing, and you’re fright Five dollars was a lot of money for a kid to spend back then. How sweet to make those memories!
I remember most of the candy mentioned, but not the Kits. Maybe those didn’t make their way down to South Florida?
Can you imagine having candy cigarettes now? CRAZY!!
myheartinpen
Haha..those candy cigarettes would stir the pot today! Of course, we always pretended we were smoking but I never liked the taste of them. Oh! I just remember those wax bottles with the juice inside. It always made you cough. Probably filled with the food dye that wreaks havoc in our bodies now..oh dear!