Every time we find ourselves in Chillicothe, we have to make a stop at Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop on Paint Street in the downtown area. And we always leave with a little sack of treats to share in the way home or to give as gifts.
Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop
For years I thought Grandpa Joe’s was just a Chillicothe phenomenon, safely tucked into the downtown district amongst equally mesmerizing small businesses, coffee shops and restaurants. Then six months ago I posted a Tik Tok from our visit to Grandpa Joe’s and I found that people all over the Buckeye State are fans of the store.
All told, Grandpa Joe’s has 15 locations. Six of those are in Ohio and all but one of the remaining stores are in states bordering our own. The Ohio locations are Springfield, Chillicothe, Cuyahoga Falls, Troy, Middletown and Miamisburg.
Thus far I’ve only visited the Chillicothe location and I can say it is an experience beyond your average candy store. For me, at least, it’s a walk down memory lane.
Visiting Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shops
At the entrance of the store, you’ll find a large selection of toys and novelties that you forgot you remembered. Some of the notable items from my childhood included Speak and Spell, Pet Rocks and Mr. Wizard. You’re sure to find something in this area that appeals to your inner child, I know I have.
Moving through the store, you’ll find candies of every type. You can mix and match your own bag of taffy or choose some of the gourmet chocolates or fudges behind the counter. If jellybeans are your go-to candy, there’s an entire section where you can put together your own bag of treats.
Making your way toward the back of the store, you’ll find displays of novelties from popular entertainment such as Harry Potter, Friends, The Office and more. There are also displays of novelty socks and attire, and even unique items for your home.
To the far left in the store, there’s the largest pop (because we’re in Ohio, soda if you’re reading from another state) display. There are hundreds of novelty pop flavors. Some that sounded good to me included dark cherry, cotton candy and any one of the gourmet root beers. Still others sounded a little strange, such as: sweet corn, grass, ketchup and pickle. There were also some throwback pops I hadn’t seen in years, such as Cheerwine and Ski.
If you’ll be traveling near a Grandpa Joe’s, I highly recommend you make a stop. You can easily spend an hour or more in the store, browsing and reliving your childhood. Remember penny candy sticks and candy cigarettes? You’ll find those there as well. If you plan to visit, check out Grandpa Joe’s website ahead of time for location and hours.
Grandpa Joe’s in Chillicothe
Grandpa Joe’s is just one of the many fun stops you’ll find in the Buckeye State. If you’re planning to visit the Chillicothe location, there’s so much to do. You can easily spend a day or an entire weekend exploring. You can visit Adena, the mansion of Thomas Worthington, known as the father of Ohio statehood and our sixth governor. And the Ross County Heritage Center is a museum that rivals many I have visited in larger cities. In the summer, you might want to stop by nearby Sugarloaf Mountain for the outdoor drama, Tecumseh.
And there’s plenty of places to eat! Jerry’s Pizza, a hole-in-the-wall place, is one of my favorite pizzas in the state. There’s really nothing like it. And Old Canal Smokehouse (barbecue) and Hometown Hibachi and two of my favorite places in town.
FindingOhio
Thanks for FindingOhio with us today. There’s so much to do and see here in Ohio and we love to share our adventures! Check back often as we publish a new article at least once weekly and, as always, we appreciate you sharing our content to your social media.
