This place is a sugar rush delight! As I saw billboards for it along the highway heading to my parents place in Ocala I had to experience it. My sister took me here and it did not disappoint. Pure nostalgia here at Grandpa Joe's. Reminded me of an old five and dime store with an awesome selection of candies and sweets from mt childhood. Along with a modern selection and all kinds of sodas and novelties to purchase. Candy cigarettes, Pop Rocks, Fun Dip, rock candy, Chick o Sticks, Pez, candy bars, Nik L Nips, old time gum brands, and so much more. Yes, its like being a kid in a candy store! Good prices and I walked out with a bag of sweets. Open late so after a few drinks or dinner at spots close by its located right in the square at the Ocala downtown entertainment district for an easy walk over. Friendly helpful people work here too. Oh, and they have a $5 candy buffet in the back of the place with a terrific selection to pack your box with. read more

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So much fun and nostalgia here taking me back to my childhood day's. I just felt like some kind of silly going back in here today as it's been a while and I wanted some cheer. There is always something silly from chocolate dipped insects, dirty socks, pickled eggs, hot sauce, board games, specialty sodas and drinks, crazy jerky sticks like alligator, duck, wild boar and elk meat! Different pop corn flavors specialty candy bars, fudge and candy powders, the list goes on and as you can see toys too, it's just a crazy fun store! Look at the train going around when you look up this place is fun in every way possible who doesn't want to come here! We went to pay and I found Lip Licking Lip balm from my childhood too, now I don't remember these flavors but I took one of these home it made my day through and through! I know the girl behind the counter chuckled with me. I'm glad we went in to Grandpa Joe's it was nice to visit I'll be back real soon! Address: 20 SE Broadway St Ocala Florida 34471 Phone : (352)421-5542 Hours: Wednesday 10AM-10 PM Thursday 10AM-10 PM Friday 10AM-11 PM Saturday 10AM-11PM Sunday 10AM-9PM Monday 10AM-10PM Tuesday 10AM-10PM read more

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We first saw the billboard for Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop on the highway and had been wanting to stop in for a while, so we finally made the trip! Parking is a little tricky, but definitely doable. There's quite a bit of metered parking, and we were able to find a free meter on a Saturday by parking on a nearby side street. The moment we walked in, we were amazed, and clearly hungry, because everything looked so delicious! My daughter made a beeline straight for the $5 candy buffet, which she absolutely loved. It's such a fun and unique option for kids. The vintage bottle drink freezer was another highlight, so colorful and stocked with all kinds of interesting and nostalgic flavors. They also had some funny gag gifts and a great selection of bulk candy at reasonable prices. One of our favorite touches was the little train running around the ceiling, it's such a cute detail that really adds to the experience. They even have a penny press, so be sure to bring two quarters and a shiny penny! We will definitely be back and highly recommend this spot if you're looking for fun gifts or a sweet treat, especially for kids. read more

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Great candy shop down town Ocala! If you love sugar this place is where you will want to be. Crazy the variety of sweets they have and it will definitely stir up emotions from yesteryear. If you had candy as a child they will have it and you can relive the past flavors of your youth. Now they have other items just know some of their socks are probably not kid appropriate but just stir them toward the sugar which is everywhere. Fun spot check it out! read more

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Being from Pittsburgh, I was excited to stumble upon this Grandpa Joe's location in Ocala on a recent trip to Florida! We stopped in while in the area on a Monday evening this past July. This Grandpa Joe's location is in the Ocala Historic Downtown Square. If you are in the area, you will definitely notice its presence with the bright colors and fun signage pointing you to enter the space. There is parking throughout the downtown area, and also around the square specifically. I have been here on busy nights, and it may be tough to find a spot close to Grandpa Joe's. However, you can typically find a spot a block or two out of the square and walk up to the main areas of town. On this visit, we stopped in around 7 PM. There were a good amount of people inside, but it was not overly crowded at all. It seems like a lot of restaurants and other stores in this area are closed on Mondays, so I believe traffic was likely lighter due to this fact. I am sure on busier evenings, like the weekends, this place is full of people! The selection here was comparable to any other Grandpa Joe's location I have visited in Pittsburgh. They have their iconic $5 Candy Buffet (which was a popular place to be!), international selection, old-time favorites, novelty items, and the wall of pop/soda that seemingly has a million flavors! I don't know if I have missed it at other locations, but there was a selection of chocolate treats in a case here as well. The store is whimsical and fun, just like a candy store should be. There is something for the young and the old, whether it be a sweet treat or some funny humor in the novelty items. I particularly enjoyed the train riding around the ceiling, and all of the fun decor inside and at the entrance. It is a great place to come and visit intentionally, or to just stop in before a dinner reservation and find some hidden treasures to take home with you. The staff were all kind and seemed helpful to not only our group, but all those in the shop that day. Loved seeing a piece of home while on vacation so far away! This store seemed to be clean, organized, and well-staffed by friendly folks. We come to the area at least once a year, so I am sure I will be back during our next trip to Florida. I would highly recommend giving this place a visit if you find yourself in Ocala proper! read more

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This was the coolest spot at Downtown Ocala. Many unique finds. There were nostalgic candies, unique toys, and the $5 candy bar was awesome! So much fun walking around the shop with my daughters. The ladies who work there were pleasant. read more

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Was at Grandpas Joes Candy Shop Tuesday August 11th and two of the kindest ladies waited on me and they were both outstanding so shou out to Alexia and Malwinzie read more

An old fashion candy store located in the historic district of Ocala. The aroma of sugary goodness loaded my nostrils. Most of the candies were comically oversized like the Giant Pokemon Pez candy dispenser or the Rubik's Cube and Haribo logos on the wall above the game sections added to the frivolity ambiance. The Double Bubble logo proudly affixed to the wall next to the massive pouches of Starburst and Skittles candies. These classic touches made this place flow with fun. My favorite section was a full wall of old time sodas bringing back memories of the old days. Oh almost forgot, the tubs of cotton candy and homemade chocolates were just some of the focal points of the shop. Fun candy playground to browse for a gag gift or simply to feed your sweet tooth. read more

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We were driving home to Texas from Orlando when my husband spotted a billboard advertising a $5 candy buffet. The sign included the exit number (which I don't remember) but when we got off, there was no candy shop in sight. A quick Google search for candy buffets in the area led us straight to it--just 10 minutes down the road. At first, the area didn't seem too promising, but as we got closer, we found ourselves on a charming and quiet Main Street. The candy shop stood out immediately--the bright and inviting entrance practically screamed, "Come inside!" Once we walked in, we truly understood the phrase "like a kid in a candy store." The place was amazing! One wall was lined with all kinds of sodas, there were fun little knickknacks, and of course, tons of candy. The $5 candy buffet was in the back, offering a great selection. We managed to pack a good amount of candy into our box, and there were so many different options to choose from. They even had a small sugar-free section, though the choices there were a bit limited. We ended up spending 45 minutes in the store, just soaking it all in. If you're ever in the area, this place is definitely worth a stop! read more

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Stopped by today because who doesn't love a good candy store. They have these boxes that you can fill with whatever candy you like and as long as it fits in the box you only pay $5. I felt like this was a good deal and came out with a few goodies. The selection was quite impressive although I don't know if the prices were the best. They did have some of those candies that were popular during my childhood so that would be my reason to return. The staff were also very helpful. Overall the decor was fun and several families seemed to be enjoying themselves. read more

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Great store! I had never been here before and stopped by after lunch next door at Harry's. I was pleasantly surprised by how big the store is, as well as the large selection of items. I thought it was just going to be a candy store but they have so much more. There is candy, board games, gag gifts, greeting cards, HUGE selection of unique sodas, Mad Libs, Snack Boxes (Japanese and Pusheen), and Sensory toys. My friend had to drag me out of here. I was enjoying looking at everything. I'm definitely coming back to shop for Stocking Stuffers and some Christmas gifts here. They have many unique candy offerings (old fashioned type brands you haven't seen for years). They also have a scoop candy section - you grab a small box and scoop in whatever you want. I got several fun items here - Zotz (fizzy hard candy), Smartie Money (larger smarties), Sour Gum Balls, Spicy/Cinnamon Candy, etc. They also have a large selection of rock candy, JUMBO smarties and a wall of unusual sodas. Feel like Kitty Piddle or Hot Dog Water Soda? In addition to the funky flavors, they also have some fun, delicious sounding ones - huckleberry, black cherry cream, blueberry, Shirley Temple, and many others. The staff was super helpful and friendly and made our experience even more positive. I'll definitely be back. read more

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Very rude staff. It's a candy shop you'd think they'd be upbeat. The customer service should be friendly, happy, but they did not want to help with the chocolate counter. Gave dirty looks and negative attitude or responses. Both girls at the counter treated us like we were an inconvenience for wanting to pick out some sweets and buy things from the shop. Do better!!!! We shopped on May 4th in the evening time. read more

Description A cute candy shop located in Downton Ocala with many available tings such as taffy, candy wall, jelly bean area, kid-kats from Asia, a whole wall of soda and many more things. The also have a glass that is full of treats such as chocolate covered pretzels bon bon and a few other things. They also sell some board games and toys as well. What I ordered At the end of the store there are these small boxes that you can fill up with what you want for $5 so I got two, 3 sodas that was two different rootbeers and a apple pie soda. The chocolates I got were malted chocolate, yolks, cow tails, m&m and my sone decided he wanted chocolates and candy corn. There was one of the rootbeers that was really good in my opinion the apple pie one I wasn't sure how to feel about it maybe due to how sweet it was. Value The value is not bad for everything I got it was $18. The boxes hold a decent amount of candy/chocolate which I shared one with my husband and my son picked one of candy which he ate some in one sitting and then ate another part later on and the rest was eaten at a 3rd sitting. The sodas are twist offs and there is a lot of different flavors it was hard to pick one. Ambiance/Crowd All ages were seen here and it was a laid back environment. Service The cashier was nice and even informed us that there was a sale currently going on of buy 5 sodas get 1 free but we would not have known as to what to do with the extra sodas. Parking Being from miami the parking was interesting because theres a garage that is about a 5 minute walking distance that was FREE. 5 year olds thought corner Well to him it was literally heaven in a candy store just imagine how a 5 year old would feel, he definitely liked the store. read more

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The billboard advertising the $5.00 candy buffet intrigued us so much we had to stop by and see what it was all about. I was so impressed with the quantity and variety of candies on offer that I completely forgot to take any pictures. Oops. As you looked around the candy store, you saw young and old patrons smiling and finding yummy treats they could not live without. The staff were friendly and helpful. Of course, we found some things we could not resist. We will be back when we are in Ocala again. read more

When we moved to the area, Grandpa Joe's opened around the same time. Even though I'm diabetic, I still love me some good candy. I did not know what I was intending to get but had an open mind. We were walking around in the square exploring both times we visited and spontaneous went browsing inside. It was pretty busy both times we visited. It was fun to walk around and explore what goodies they have. Since Hubs is Canadian, there were so many treats he has never seen before and there were some he has seen before but I have not! We had picked up so many goodies but wound up putting them back because the prices were so expensive! I wound up choosing individual pieces of candy from the bins, along with some KitKat from Japan and a potato chip Reese's peanut butter cup. Everything was delicious! But we also spent way more than we expected or wanted to. The next time we visited was to browse and did not find anything that we really wanted. They have much more than candy though. Sodas, toys, ice cream, etc. read more

We made a quick stop as we saw tons of billboards! Not too bad off the road but parking was a bit of a hassle! Upon entrance you are greeted with tons of decor in the outside window! There is tons and tons of candy and gifts once you enter and you just don't know where to start! It is decorated so colorfully with all sorts of things! Tons of exotic candies, vintage candies and other candies you can find! Everything is so reasonably priced that I was just grabbing tons and tons! The staff is so so friendly and talkative! Overall, the visit was amazing and it was worth the stop. I will for sure be coming back! read more

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Drove over from Gainesville to check out this candy shop we've been seeing ads on the highway for a while so we finally stopped and definitely worth the stop. There is a variety of candy's, toys and soda. We got the $5 boxes you can fill up from the candy buffet. read more

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GRANPA JOES CANDY SHOP YESSSS PLS. Grandpa Candy Shop saved our souls after a tragic dinner next door. I walked in expecting candy and instead entered a full-on awe-induced coma. International candy, fudge, sour toilet plungers... this place has everything you didn't even know you needed. I was standing there, mouth open, blinking, like a cartoon character in every aisle. I walked in expecting candy and walked out questioning reality. International candy? Check. Fudge the size of my head? Check. Sour toilet plungers that attack your soul? Check. Me standing there like I just discovered magic? 100% The vibes are chaotic, the candy is absurd, and somehow it completely made up for our terrible dinner next door. 10/10 sensory overload. I will be back, I will overbuy, and I will emotionally attach myself to every candy in sight. I have happily surrendered to sugar chaos, and I'm not mad. read more

We stumbled on this amazing candy shop in downtown Ocala. It was absolutely bonkers! We loved all the throwback candy available and also new fun, current candies that are seen on social media these days. Not only did they have candy, but they had a crazy collection of flavored sodas and a nice candy bar in the back. We spent a lot of time browsing around. There were so many things to look at! The mugs they had were also pretty hilarious. This is a fun spot to step into while downtown to get a sweet treat or to find a gift. read more

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SO MUCH FUN!! I often travel with my kids from Tampa to Gainesville and we always plan a stop in Ocala for Grandpa Joes' $5 candy buffet. This place is adorable. It is located in the little cute downtown Ocala square so parking can be a challenge. It is a big candy place with new candy, vintage candy, international candy, and every flavor of jelly bean known to man. They also have amazing gifts, toys, and tons of unique soda flavors. A train runs along the top perimeter of the store and sometimes they are jamming in there with the music turnt up! The prices are fair and the vibe is on point. Do yourself a favor, and check it out. read more

What a cute store! Nostalgia just throws itself at you in this store. I found so many candies that I ate when I was a child! They had older games too which was fun to see. I loved all the varieties of soda as well. I didn't get to buy any, but will definitely go back to try the coffee soda. I also really liked that they had japanese candies and snacks! the Matcha kit kats are my favorite and are hard to find, so I was happy when I saw them here. They have a 5 dollar candy wall that you can fill up a bag with an assortment of candy which was really cool. Every candy you can think of is probably in this place. read more

Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop - Candy Stores Near Me - Ocala, Florida

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This place is huge with all kind of candies. They also have sodas, gourmet chocolates, toys candy from japan and funny novelties. The decoration is bright, colorful and fun. All attendants were friendly and quickly to check you out. Great place for kids! read more

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Candy store that has a little bit of everything inside. Decor is fun and candy related, candy selection is great, and they have other fun oddities to explore. read more

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Outstanding candy store. Old school candy as well as what kids want now. I can't wait to go back.

This place has every kind of candy ever made. It's a nice size store. The employees are helpful and really nice. They not only have candy, but they have games and some toys. This is a must place to stop and get something sweet to eat or at least look around. read more

This is the cutest spot ever in downtown Ocala. I am such a Candy store person. I love stores like this. I thought this was like a mom and poo store but it actually is not. They have a candy buffet where you fill up a box for five dollars It's not weighed it's just a flat five dollar fee for everything you can put in the box. I spent a lot of time speaking to Bridget the manager she was so nice told me about the company showed me around the store. I just absolutely loved it. If you're ever in the area, please stop in you'll enjoy it. read more

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Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop in Ocala is a cross between Willy Wonka's chocolate factory and George and Fred's Weasley's Wizard Wheezes from the Harry Potter book series. This candy store has every type of candy and chocolate you have heard of and just as many types that you haven't. Options go from conventional to the weird and wild, including pickle-flavored popcorn, roasted crickets, and wild game jerky. The $5 world-famous candy buffet includes a box you can fill with whatever mix and match candy you desire. Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop also has unique gifts, games, and collectables, plus an entire wall of craft sodas of every imaginable flavor. Prepare to spend at least an hour checking out this one-of-a-kind place. read more

"A little foolishness now and then is treasured by the wisest men!" -- Who doesn't like a cool candy store?! They have almost every candy known to man and the racks of fizzy lifting drinks to wash them down! They also have plenty of ideas for fun stocking stuffer gift or white elephant gift for even the most Scroogiest of Scrooges! Fill up a box of candy from their candy buffet for $5 and let the dentist worry about it later! read more

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Great candy shop with a lot of novelty items. Very good if you're doing Christmas gifts that are kitschy always visit here when we go to the downtown area of Ocala. read more

Friendly staff and a wide variety of candy and toys. Lots of candy and toys from the 80s, with some stuff that I have never seen before. read more

Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop - Sriracha chocolate - Candy Stores Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Very cool place to stop at with our grandkids on the way back home from vacation! Loved the different sodas, and variety of candy for all ages! read more

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Vintage candy that I almost forgot about but so very expensive! Very disappointed. Did not meet my expectations

I am 65 years old. My wife and I were talking just the other day how food just does not taste the same. This brought up candy we used to have when growing up. One item in particular was "sugar daddy". We live in Birmingham; AL and I can't find them anywhere. I was eating in the Historic Square Downtown Ocala, FL. Next to my restaurant was Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop. After dinner I figured why not give it a look. I felt like a kid in a candy shop instantly, LOL. Half the fun was watching the parents bringing in their children and those kids negotiating with their parents on how much candy they could buy. For me, all I wanted was a Sugar Daddy but right next to it was a Black Cow, do you remember that one. Anyway, great place, so much fun and the kids make the show. Eat well, drink well and stay healthy. read more

This candy store is very cute, has lots of options (chocolate, fruity candy, hard candy, gummies, etc) and some novelty gifts as well. It's a fun place to take a kid (or even a kid at heart) to fill up on the candy wall or pick out a nostalgic treat. read more

Such a cool little shop in downtown Ocala. A little expensive but kinda worth it. I would recommend

Cheap old school candy with a sweet and fun staff! $5 fill a box was a blast for the grandkids!!! read more

Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop - Store! - Candy Stores Near Me - Ocala, Florida

They helped us fulfill a wish of a hospice patient! I am a hospice social worker and had a patient who had one last wish. Grandpa Joe's made it happen. The manager didn't even hesitate and next day shipped candy and gum cigarettes! We were able to give them to our patient for one last nostalgic moment. I can't express enough the compassion and customer service provided by the manager. Thank you!! read more

Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop - Bubblegum and candy cigarettes - Candy Stores Near Me - Ocala, Florida

Great candy Great service Reasonable prices Love the their candy. Especially the chocolate ! read more

Great place, Awesome to see a unique candy store like this one thrive! Would highly recommend.

A must visit when in Ocala! From the front windows to the back of the store this place hits all the marks. Remember when you were a kid and you watched Willie Wonka for the first time and wanted to visit his candy factory? This shop touches all the places of your inner child. They have a massive variety of candies from every era. They have a plethora of hard to find varieties of soda. They have candy in bulk and even an option to fill a $5 box with candy from the candy buffet. Chocolates?! They have a counter with those too. Be sure to check out the beautiful selection of truffles at the counter. They also have many options for gifts. Do not miss this stop on your travels! read more