Tucked away in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is a store built around the history of candy.

True Treats not only takes you through an exploration of candy by decade, but the owner, Susan Benjamin, creates many of the candies using recipes from the past.

Simple recipes and simple ingredients allow patrons to reminisce, as they enjoy candies that take them back to their childhood or prompt conversation around the traditions within their own families.

From the 1500s to the 1700s, there are molasses drops and sorghum sweets. The 1800s introduced peppermint sticks, Kentucky creams, and caramels. In the 1900s, there were Zotz (one of our favorites), Turkish taffy, and Wisconsin raisin (not what you think).

As you move through the True Treats website and click on each candy, you learn about the candy’s origin.

Do you like gummy candy? True Treats has many to choose from, including gummy cola, gummy sharks, gummy worms, and gummy eggs. Gummy eggs? Yes, gummy eggs (new to us).

According to True Treats, “The gummy candy started with the bears, made in Germany in 1921. They were named for the dancing bears of the previous century, much admired by the inventor. The base of the candy was 10th century Turkish Delight, used to ease sore throats. Countless other candies evolved from the Turkish delight: gummy worms, gum drops, Swedish Fish, and the substantive Gummy Sharks.”

This candy shop was not created on a whim; rather, Ms. Benjamin has over 40 years of experience. She is a candy historian, an author, a college professor and a communications strategist. Along with managing her store, “she gives presentations at museums, historical societies and other venues nation-wide”. 

Do you want to know more about the history of candy? Susan Benjamin is your source!

For showing the passion of a true entrepreneur and for creating a candy store that takes us back to our childhoods, it’s a big IMBHO-yes!

We were lucky at IMBHO to have a reader tell us about True Treats and share a couple of her favorite treats. We have to say, the melt-in-your mouth peppermint sticks and the ancient spearmint candies that were “yesterday’s medicine” were beyond good. Thanks for sharing, Alexa! IMBHO-yes!