Ma and Pa’s Candy

The first time I went into the store I was overwhelmed with how much they had. There was so much variety and so much to choose from I had such a big smile on my face. Very impressed with the staff and how helpful they were and make sure I was happy with what I got.

Long Grove is dying.
My mom told me to write that.
It was a gorgeous fall weekend afternoon, where were all the shoppers? Was that a tumbleweed? This isn’t how I remember downtown Long Grove. But my memories of 1989 are questionable anyway.
When I was a kid, my parents and I would take trips to Long Grove to peruse the shops for the day. One of our favorites spots was Ma & Pa’s Candy. So when we were in the area recently, I could not contain my excitement to see that we were only three miles away. Candy! Let’s go!
I should also mention I was also having some minor jaw pain, but the thought of a bathtub full of saltwater taffy was SO worth it.
Ma & Pa’s is a tiny little shop. Isn’t it funny how things in our memories are often larger than they really are? Even though it was busy and cramped with shoppers, we couldn’t wait to fill our paper sacks with the several varieties of Bulls-​eye candies.
We looked around quizzically. Obviously inventory can change drastically in 20 years, but we dumbly hadn’t thought of this. We were crestfallen upon looking at the lone barrel of Bulls-​eye candies, sold only in two flavors: regular (caramel) and chocolate. They used to have these in cherry, strawberry, licorice, and many other flavors. We plunked a few into our bags anyway. We then found a small selection of caramels in flavors like raspberry and candy apple, which lifted our spirits. They were the softest caramels I’ve ever eaten.
I also purchased some saltwater taffy in a variety of flavors and some chocolate covered sponge candy. My mom took home a half pound of chocolate covered cashews for my dad, which I’m sure he loved.
There’s something for everybody here, and you won’t leave disappointed. Even if it was a totally different place in your memory.

I love the shop layout, it’s very cute and has a great variety of candy to pick from! However, the person working the counter when I went in didn’t seem too enthused about their job, much less interacting with customers. My attempts to find out more about the candy I wasn’t familiar with was met with a reaction you could only interpret as, «Are you stupid?» so I didn’t really feel welcome.
Besides the attitude problem, I enjoyed my visit to this shop and will gladly come again-​but maybe just keep quiet, buy my candy and get out.

WHOA!
Now THIS is a candy shop!
Stepping into Ma and Pa’s Candy is like going back in time. The store is jam-​packed with sugary goodies: candy buttons, giant lollipops, bubble gum, chocolates, gummies, and so much more. Dozens of buckets of every kind of individually wrapped candy that you can think of line the aisles. You can pick a bag and just put as much as you want in there from the buckets — the candies are priced by weight. Jars of other candies (gummies, candy corn, etc.) are near the front counter for them to scoop out for you (also priced by weight). A chocolate counter greets you near the checkout line. All the other candies are arranged in colorful displays throughout the store. Willy Wonka would have fun here.
I. WANTED. EVERYTHING.
It was so hard to limit myself to just a small selection, but I managed to do it.
I walked out of that store with a white bag of candy in my hand and a smile on my face.

Adorable store filled wall-​to-​wall with candy. I LOVE this store. So many types of candy — old school candy, new brands, fresh delicious chocolate confections displayed beautifully at the front of the store in a cute display case. A TON of gummies of different shapes, flavors. I found candy I never even knew existed, like strawberry bulls-​eyes and strawberry cowtails. I walked out of there with a big bag full of mixed candy, chocolates, chocolate covered strawberries all for about $ 35. Such a bargain!
Can’t believe I didn’t find his store until now after so many trips to Long Grove… It is at the TOP of my list Long Grove shopping from now on!

Great candy – absolutely the finest milk chocolate. Best chocolate raisins I have ever had – ruined me for Raisinets, dammit! And how in the world did they make pumpkin fudge that is the best of both worlds – pumpkin AND fudge? Better than the Confectionery.

I have been coming here as long as I can remember. I used to ride my bike to buy some candy from Ma and Pa. Since I was on an allowance budget, I often settled on the mystery bags that were super cheap, but you had to take a risk and buy the brown paper bag not knowing what would be in it! I felt like such a badass when I did this.
For the less risky shoppers, Ma and Pa also sell candy by the weight and they have everything you can dream off. It is this sugar addict’s dreamland!

Step back in time and relive your youth at this delightful candy store! The owner is very nice and I come here every year for stocking stuffers. I love all the different pez, necco’s, bazooka bubble gum, etc. at this place. Also, try the chocolate covered potato chips. Sweet and Savory! Yum!!!

this place is tiny and jam friggen packed with just about every candy ever mass produced and sold in the us… unreal
i knocked off a star cause their prices are a bit hefty
ps. they also have a small sweets/​choc counter :)

Want to go back in time while you are at long grove? Yeah, ok, I know the whole town is a trip back into time, but this place really hits it home. Time travel while you are here at this little candy shop, where you can still fill a bag full of the candies you want.(and it’s not just Brach’s!!!) I love how you can still peruse through barrels or glass jars of candy and that there are older candies that you can’t really find anywhere else; bit o honey, banana split, slo pokes, and what seemed like half a dozen kind of caramels. So much candy in this little space that I got a sugar high when I walked in. Come to think of it, I have some left in that bag…

Less fancy (and less expensive) than the Confectionery on Fountain Square, this is the place with the childhood candies that everyone remembers, sold by the pound. I was able to find my favorite (and hard to find) Napolean sour hard candies here. A great atmosphere, and great candy!