For a Sugary Dose of Nostalgia, Swing by Sweet Mickey’s for Some of the Best Candy in Washington

It’s not hard to buy candy in the United States. It exists almost everywhere, from gas stations and grocery stores to Little League Baseball games and opera houses. From chocolates to caramels, gummies and taffies, there are countless options to choose from on a daily basis, with most at low prices. As such, you’d almost have to be Wonka himself to make candy exciting to people in this day and age. Luckily, there’s a Seattle-based store that strives to make buying candy a joyful and exciting experience for all those who want a touch of nostalgia with their sugary confections. 

Sweet Mickey’s is a confectionery store based in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The owner, Randy Brinker, named the store after his grandmother who raised him and his three siblings after his mother passed away. In his words, Mickey was a joyful person, full of light and compassion. She had owned a small party store before she took on her grandchildren and strove to make every occasion feel special in its own way. Teaching him the importance of spreading joy and being kind, Mickey knew that happiness lies in the love that we can give to others, rather than in material goods. 

As such, Brinker wanted to take the love and joy his grandmother gave him and share it with others. He opened Sweet Mickey’s Candy Shoppe in 2012 with the knowledge that there’s a certain type of special delight in handmade sweets and that the nostalgia can bring a sense of community to an area. Fudge is the store's specialty and is made in small batches with high-quality ingredients. The flavors remain classic, but have fun holiday flavors for every season. Truffles are also a big seller, using local ingredients with inspirations from old-fashioned flavors. And yet, the real key to the nostalgic heart of Sweet Mickey’s is the plethora of penny candy on display. 

But, what’s penny candy and why is it important? Penny candies are small, bite-sized candies that were traditionally sold separately for a penny. Whereas the exact date of the birth of penny candy is debated, it is accepted that the first popular penny candy came about in 1907 with the Tootsie Roll. Today, you can still see penny candies in the form of Tootsie Rolls or lollipops, but Sweet Mickey’s takes it a step further with many different options all available to be gathered in what they call a ‘grab bag,’ which is, as it sounds, a way to grab many candies at once in one bag. 

Sweet Mickey's has been named as one of the best candy stores in the United States, and it’s not hard to see why. This vintage candy store seeks to bring old-time America back to Seattle through their sweets, of course, but also through the sense of childlike wonder that the whimsically decorated and carefully thought-out storefront can bring, as well as the commitment they keep to their community through sponsoring teams and helping with local events. Brinker has done exactly what his Grandma Mickey had taught him—he brings a sense of joy to his community through his store and gives people the opportunity to make any occasion a special one.