I absolutely love everything sweet — from gummies to chocolate — so when I heard that a candy shop was opening in my hometown of Storm Lake, Iowa, I was thrilled.  

What was once the Frame ‘n’ Art building on 510 N Lake Avenue has been taken over by Storm Lake Candy Co. Owner, Ruth Whitmore hopes to “bring back the joy and wonder of childhood to Storm Lake” with this candy shop. After paying a visit, I can confirm that I felt like a kid again. 

Upon entering, I was immediately greeted by the lovely employees behind the counter. They looked just as happy as I was to be there (I mean, if I worked at a candy shop, I would be too). What had also contributed to my experience was the gorgeous sunny weather that day, along with the song, “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5, that blasted through the speakers. 

On one side of the shop were chocolates and chocolate-covered goodies in long glass display cases, while the other side had rows of containers with bulks of candy in each one. Customers could scoop their choice of candies into a plastic bag, which was weighed on a scale to calculate its total price afterward. In the middle of the shop were massive barrels of taffy. Overall, I’d say there was quite the selection. 

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The building itself was beautifully decorated, with its bright blue walls and white Christmas lights hanging from the ceiling. 

After spending what felt like more than 30 minutes looking around, I finally settled on an assortment of gummies, chocolate rock candies (chocolates disguised as tiny rocks), and sour belts. I also decided to try their pretzel rods. Two pretzel rods were being offered that day: a simple milk chocolate-covered rod with a white chocolate drizzle and a rod with a heath bar crumble on top. Of course, I bought one of each. 

Items were a bit pricey. Nevertheless, many of them were homemade, which I recognize can be very time-consuming, so I’m not complaining. A one-pound bag of candy is listed at roughly $8. My bag, which was nowhere near one pound, totaled up to about $2. My pretzel rods, on the other hand, were $1.99 each. 

As soon as I got to my car, I dug in. I tried the pretzel rods first. With one bite, I knew I would be returning for more. The combination of salty and sweet was just perfect. While I enjoyed both, the pretzel rod with the heath bar crumble was superior. The gummies and sour belts, on the other hand, had great fruity flavors, but unfortunately, were very hard to chew. And just as I expected, the chocolate rocks were delicious. They were not overly sweet, which I prefer in chocolate anyways. 

I’d say I’m pretty pleased with my first experience at Storm Lake Candy Co. While I’d only tried a small selection of their treats, it was enough for me to want to come back. If you haven’t already visited, I strongly suggest that you do. I guarantee this candy shop will brighten up your day, as it did with mine.