True Treats, located in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, is the only research-based historical candy store in the country. If you snoozed through history class, now is the ideal time to wake up. True Treats offers sweet delicacies spanning from the first candy in history to the preferred treats of the mid 1900s.
The shop is run by historian and entrepreneur Susan Benjamin. Author of "Sweet as Sin: The Unwrapped Story of How Candy Became America’s Favorite Pleasure," Benjamin decided to take her candy historian expertise to a tastier, in-person level.
At True Treats you'll find the candy organized chronologically. The shop feels as though you're in a fantastic new kind of museum where you can learn about the treats and then touch and taste them for yourself.
Examples of early candy include Biblical Boxes that offer sugars and herbs mentioned in the bible. Things like cacao beans and hickory bark that were enjoyed by Native Americans in North and South America also adorn the shelves.
As the timeline progresses, you'll find more familiar sugary snacks like truffles, bubble gum, and jelly beans.
Don't miss the delightfully curated boxes. You'll find themes like "Grandma's Purse Collection," featuring the candies your nana always seemed to have at the ready, and the Armed Forces Collection, featuring candies preferred by those enlisted from the Revolutionary War to World War II.
True Treats is a one-of-a-kind candy shop that serves as both a fascinating educational endeavor and an indulgent treat stop.
If you're traveling with children or other family members not enthusiastic about a museum visit, True Treats is the perfect compromise. A little chocolate can go a long way in the learning process.
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