B. A. Sweetie Candy Company
October’s Magical History Tour will get you all set for trick-or-treating, at North America’s largest candy store: B.A. Sweetie’s on Brookpark Road in Cleveland, conveniently located right off of I-480 East.
If you’ve ever used I-480, odds are you’ve passed B.A. Sweetie’s on more than one occasion, with its large, rainbow-swirl lollipop loudly proclaiming to all far and wide that there is candy to be had within these walls.
Is there ever. Walking into the warehouse calls to mind the (paraphrased) words of Willy Wonka: “Don’t lose your head! Don’t get overexcited!” This is quite a tall order, as the 40,000-square-foot candy store is stuffed to the brim with every kind of candy imaginable. Meandering through the soaring rows of sweets, one is greeted with stacks of chocolates, Pez, lollipops, bubble gum, pretzels, candy sticks and jelly beans.
Nostalgia has a home here too, featuring Bonomo Turkish Taffy, BB Batts and Regal Crown. Still can’t find exactly what you’re looking for? There are also candy-making supplies for the ultra-industrious.
Founded in 1950 by brothers-in-law Frank Stansny and Al Tokar, Bag A Sweet Candy Company began in the basement of Al’s home in Broadview Heights, where the two bagged bulk candy until they moved to a building on Brookpark Road. In 1892 they sold the company to current owners Tom and Judi Scheiman. Under their leadership, the company moved around several times and underwent various iterations throughout the following decades. The current location opened in 2015; Sweetie’s Soda Shoppe parlor and Sweetie’s Golfland Park share the five-acre campus.
If you need a sweet treat after looking through all that candy, the 6,000-square-foot attached Sweetie’s Soda Shop serves ice cream, yogurt and custard year-round. Signature flavors include classic chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, as well as bananas foster, pineapple upside down cake and campfire s’mores. Enjoy a sundae, malt, shake, parfait, smoothie, classic cone, or combine any flavor ice cream with any of the 200 varieties of soda pop for a unique ice cream float. And for some post-treat fun (and calorie-burning) head on out to the Golfland Park for 36 holes of mini golf.
So gather up the kids, grandkids, and all who are young at heart, there’s plenty of fun for everyone at B.A. Sweetie Candy Company.
Rachel Polaniec
I live in Westlake with my husband and our two sons. I work as an Alterations Specialist at David's Bridal. In my free time I like to read, write, and cook. My family and I take part in War of 1812 reenactments throughout the summer. My lofty dreams are of traveling abroad, visiting the great museums, and drinking all the coffee. For now I content myself with antiquing and Keurig sampler packs.