Hidden In Indiana Is One Of The Best Candy Stores In The Country (Since 1891)

Nestled somewhere in many major cities and small towns across the country, there's some sort of candy store. These days, the shops might be harder to find due to big-box chains and online shopping — but there's probably one candy store somewhere near your hometown. No bias toward the shop where you load up on your holiday candies and chocolates to satisfy your tooth cravings, but Schimpff's Confectionery might just be superior.

Located in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Schimpff's Confectionery has been around since 1891 — which is quite a long time for any business, especially a candy store. But what sets G.A. Schimpff's Confectionery (its full name) apart is that it's also one of the longest-running candy stores owned and operated by a family. And it's not just a candy store, because the family-owned business makes its own candies, from chocolates to hard candies like lemon drops. No offense, but those are just some of the reasons why it might just be one of the best candy stores in the country like New York City's Economy Candy.

If you don't live near Jeffersonville, Indiana, you can order its candies online to ship to your front door. Wondering what the options are? If Red Hots are one of your go-to sweets, Schimpff's makes its own version of the candy that's $13 for an entire pound. It's worth a try, because the company apparently makes 20,000 pounds of the candies annually, according to the Southern Indiana tourism website SoIN. Other hard candies include anise drops and fish candy, and the latter comes in various flavors like cherry and sour apple.

For chocolate lovers, there are candies and creams available in milk or dark chocolate depending on your preference. There are also chocolate turtles with caramel and pecans, chocolate-covered cherries, and English toffee. A special concoction from Schimpff's is its Modjeskas, which are caramel-covered marshmallows.

A quick look at the businesses' Yelp reveals a nostalgic vibe that seems fit for a candy store. Think tin ceilings above you, wooden cabinets displaying candies and vintage photos, old-school signs and memorabilia, and a soda fountain. Schimpff's Confectionary has also topped the list of the best candy stores in the country by other publications like USA Today. It even has over 85,000 followers on Instagram, a considerably far reach for a small business. And if you want to try to make chocolates with your own family until you can visit the shop, here's our dark chocolate ganache truffle recipe that's ready in 15 minutes.