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5 Popular Candy Stores In L.A.

Janelle Cabuco |
October 31, 2013 | 11:09 a.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

Not even a whole aisle of Galco's soda pop (Dave Schumaker / Flickr Creative Commons).
Not even a whole aisle of Galco's soda pop (Dave Schumaker / Flickr Creative Commons).
In the mood for some delicious sweets for Halloween or maybe you just have a sweet tooth that can’t be satisfied?

Here are the top five candy stores in Los Angeles that can help you with your cravings:

Fugetsu-Do

Fugetsu-Do began in 1903 and to this day has remained true to their traditions. This family owned store is the best place to buy both traditional and modern mochi in Los Angeles. In addition to their day-to-day flavors, Fugetsu-Do also serves seasonal mochi such as Kuzumochi, which is only available in the month of July.

One Yelp reviewer rated the store with five stars and said, “[Fugetsu-Do has] the best mochi in LA, hands down … Consistency is everything. They're very soft, but not mushy. Chewy, but not tough. Fugetsu-Do consistently produces the perfect mochi!”

However, another Yelp reviewer rated the store with only two stars and said, “Their mochi display is very pretty and the shop is rather charming. But, I wasn't really a big fan of this place. We got 5 or 6 different kinds and most were too firm and had barely detectable flavors. Maybe we got the days leftovers.”

Fugetsu-Do is located in the heart of Little Tokyo, 315 East First St. and is open seven days a week! You can give them a call at 213-625-8595.

Galco’s Old World Grocery

Galco’s began as an Italian grocery store in 1897 and became specialized in old school, hard to find soda pop flavors in 1995. Galco’s motto – “Freedom of Choice” – depicts their customers’ choice to choose from a giant selection of fun and crazy sodas and candies. In fact, when you first take a step into Galco’s you may be a little overwhelmed with their soda pop selection; I mean they do have over 500 different flavors!

One Yelp reviewer rated the store with five stars and said, “You know those places that you visit in your dreams. Those wonderful places where everything is just perfect. Like an ideal Disneyland, with even better rides and no lines, and the characters are actually real and you just spend your day kicking it with Mickey and your homies. This is one of those places … Walking into the store, it's exactly as it advertises online and through its advertisements.  Over 500 types of sodas organized through the shelves of the store along side some very retro candy and some odd types of alcohol.”

However, another Yelp reviewer rated the store with only one star and said, “I've never experienced any enthusiasm or customer service at this store. Maybe I just just keep going in on the worst possible days for them. But every time I'm in, the store is completely empty and the young ladies working there seem like they have absolutely no interest in what they do and like they're bored out of their minds. They're difficult and unapologetic every time they've been out of a sandwich or soda and I personally have never seen them smile. I don't think I've ever been asked if I needed any help or if I was finding everything okay.”

Galco’s is located on 5702 York Blvd. and is open seven days a week! You can give them a call at 323-255-7115.

Jack’s Wholesale Candy & Toy Company

Jack’s Wholesale Candy & Toy Company sells both American and Mexican sweets. They not only have a great selection of candies, but they have quite a large back stock; so if you don’t see what you want, just go up and ask them to check in the back. 

One Yelp reviewer rated the store with four stars and said, “If you need candy or snacks for an event, this is definitely the place you want to be. Their prices are generally lower than the ones you will find from online dealers which is a major plus. If you are purchasing candy for a candy table it helps to see the candy in person to get a good sense of how much you really need and what the actual colors are (some pictures/websites don't depict the exact color all that well).”

Another Yelp reviewer rated the store with three stars and said, “They have a big selection, but run out of popular items. In terms of specific color candy, not many are the yummy tasting candy.”

Jack’s is located on 1244 E 8th St. and is open Mondays to Saturdays. You can give them a call at 213-622-9287.

John Kelly Chocolates

John Kelly Chocolates is located in the heart of Hollywood. They make all of the chocolates they sell by hand in small batches using koshr and gluten-free ingredients. 

One Yelp reviewer rated the store with five stars and said, “This place is wonderful. If you're looking for one of the best chocolateurs in LA, this is your spot. Such a variety of delicious freshly made goodies, the sizes are also pretty big compared to other chocolate shops I've been to. The service was excellent, the young man at the counter helped me pick out some really good choices, and had an overall good experience coming here. I definetely would like to come back again!”

John Kelly Chocolates is located on 1506 N Sierra Bonita Ave. and is open Monday to Saturday every week. You can give them a call at 323-851-3269.

Littlejohn’s English Toffee House

Littlejohn’s English Toffee House began in the 1920s and has been making toffee ever since. To this day, Littlejohn’s remains true to tradition and continues to stir each toffee batch by hand over an open flame. 

One Yelp reviewer rated the store with five stars and said, “My favorite candy place in L.A!!! Of course, being an "English toffee house," the English toffee is phenomenal. The toffee is buttery and fresh, covered in delicious chocolate and nuts. It pretty much melts in your mouth, and can be highly addictive.”

However, another Yelp reviewer rated this store with only two stars and said, “I wasn't impressed with the toffee at all, or the other rediculously priced candies my wife and I bought here. The Nut place a row over is still highly priced but a few bucks cheaper. I know this place makes their own candy, but I really didn't like the flavor or texture.”

Littlejohn’s is located on 6333 W 3rd St. and is open everyday of the week. You can give them a call at 323-936-5379.

Reach Staff Reporter Janelle Cabuco here.



 

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