The Sweet Shop & More
The sweet shop from everyone’s childhood is a little taste of heaven in Longtown.
Everyone of a certain age will have fond memories of visits to the local sweet shop, choosing a quarter of their favourite treat from the jars above the counter. A new venture in Longtown, The Sweet Shop and More, is spreading nostalgia throughout the village.
The pink and white fronted store is everything a traditional sweet shop should be and it’s proving popular with grown-ups looking to relive a little bit of their childhood.
Owner Emma Conley, who opened the candy pink door in September, said: “I had thought about doing it for a while, I was reminiscing about when I used to go to the sweet shop when I was little.”
The shelves are stocked with jars full of old fashioned treats, from lemon sherbets and strawberry bon bons to rhubarb and custards and giant gobstoppers. Boxes of pick and mix are piled high and retro sweets cover the counter.
But as the name suggests, there’s more. Alongside all the old favourites, there are novelty sweets and sugar-free alternatives, as well as sweet cones, party bags and occasion boxes, all individually made up. For people looking for a unique way to mark a special occasion, Emma has also expanded into helium balloons and it’s fair to say, they have really taken off.
Having previously worked at the local school for seven years, Emma already knows most of her customers well, she said: “I think it helps that I know all the kids from school. I was able to ask them all before I left what they thought about the idea of a sweetie shop and they thought it was a great idea.”
But as she has found, it’s not just the little ones who can’t resist a sugar fix, she continued: “It’s been really busy so far, parents will bring their kids in, but it’s the adults – people my age – who tend to get carried away with the pick and mix counter.
“You’ll even get men coming in on their lunch break asking for a £1 mixture.”
As attentions turn to Crimbo, Emma is busy putting together the first of the seasonal sweet boxes. Filled with festive themed goodies and Christmas candy, they’re the perfect stocking filler for someone with a sweet tooth.
Find The Sweet Shop & More at 2 Swan Street, Longtown, CA6 5UY
Follow @thesweetshopandmore on Facebook
