Review Visit: September 17th, 2014…read more Sugar. Spice. Everything nice. Like in a lot of smaller towns, you'll usually have or find a business that deals in candy. Sugary confections. Sweet treats. Candy from yesteryears. Soda (pop) in more varieties than you care for it to come in. Things you think you'd never see again and things you fall in love with. Holland's Mercantile fills that role for Washington, IL. My friend Matt and I decided to spend an afternoon exploring the Washington Square to see what the town and it's folk offered. The words on the front of the store's glass got me excited at the possibilities held inside. As we opened the door and headed in, the excitement increased tenfold. It was like being a kid in a candy store. Except that we are adults... in a candy store. Upon entering, I first noticed the long row of candy in the glass containers where you can scoop out as much as you want. Lining the walls were a million different candy from a million different times and cultures. I saw things I hadn't seen in years. They had stuff I didn't think existed in time where color TV is the norm. On top of the candy, they also had a display case full of baked goods. Whether these are made in-house or from a local bakery, I am not sure. Either way, the stuff looked fantastic behind the glass. Turtles. Truffles. Caramel Bars. It all looked so good that I think my blood sugar level elevated just looking at the offerings. This store has more than just candy, baked goodies, and sweets from everyone's childhood. They also had the novelty toys from the same time period the candy/sweets come from. There were novelty toys that tied in to current day trends but they also had toys that kids from our time would enjoy just as much as kids from the time from which they came. I also think there was a back room that was full of a combination of everything the store offered. On this day, I let my inner child run wild and I picked up a small sack full of candy. I didn't want to get too much because I don't have the best self-control when it comes to my sweet tooth. Next door is another Holland's store that offers up popcorn in many different flavors and even more soda to pick from. This store did remind me of the candy store from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, minus the Candy Man tossing candy to and fro. Though that would've been quite the sight to see. The store just has this feeling of being a great place to get your sweet tooth fix while reliving items from your childhood and also your parent's childhood. I will end this with a warning. If you have kids and bring them here... expect to drop a lot of money on sweets and toys. It's easy to spend a small fortune in a place like this. Also, don't let your kids see Holland's Caramelcorn next door. They might get loaded up on sugar and then get popcorn cheese everywhere. How sweet it is.

The best variety of popcorn indulgence is waiting for you at Hollands. It is hands down better…read morethan Garrett's! I make trips to central Illinois, and this is one of my must do stops!

Review Visit: October 9th, 2017…read more I feel that popcorn needs no introduction or an in-depth analysis. If you've ever gone to the movies or watched one at home, you've probably put down a few hundred, if not thousands of kernels, many pounds of butter, and a few licks of salt. Now, if you've never been to a place that specializes in popcorn, you are in for a world of flavors you never thought existed. Puppy Chow? Yep. Jalapeno Cheddar? Yup. Thin Mint? Like the Girl Scout's Cookies? Yes! There are almost an endless amount of flavors available at the Great American Popcorn Company. I've been to many places and have seen many flavors of popcorn but today I saw new flavors. Moving on from popcorn, they also have a ton of sodas from companies you've never heard of and they also have plenty of fudge, chocolates and other sweets that'll cure any sweet tooth. The lady behind the counter offered samples of any product they have on display, which is impressive since they have 56,389 items to choose from. During my quick visit there, I sampled some Jalapeno Cheddar popcorn and fell in love. I grabbed a medium-sized bag for about $6. Depending on the flavor, the price can go up for down. I also grabbed some Cookie Dough ice cream and enjoyed that outside where they have some chairs and tables to enjoy your treats. I'm not sure what else to say about this place that isn't pure praise, which might be too sweet for you readers. Ha! Luckily if you don't live anywhere near Morton, IL, there seems to be a smattering of these companies out there. Some other locations include: Galena, IL / Grand Rapids, IA.

Every kind of popcorn imaginable Lots to choose from and…read morestaff is friendly and helpful

Review Visit: October 28th, 2014…read more Not an actual factory. Short story time: Back before I started traveling, I once thought the Cheesecake Factory was a building that churned out cheesecakes. I took the name literally and was confused on why people loved the place. Turns out, it's a delectable restaurant that just looking at the menu will exceed your daily recommended caloric intake. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is no Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. It's your typical small store that has a ton of goodies inside. Everything from sweets to things that are nutty and everything in-between. Matt, Tim, and I wandered in during a day of hitting up a few Peoria locations. We came here after The 50's Diner to get our dessert fix. I've been to a few baked goods/candy stores at this point in time but I am never not amazed at the variety of goodies they offer. A lot of them carry some of the same chocolate-covered (item) but so many of them do it in their own way. Or do their unique twist on it. That's why I love small chain/locally owned businesses. They all have that personal touch that seems to be missing from Big Name Stores. Tim ended up stocking up on some goodies. Matt got a small item or two. I snagged a cookie or two. I don't remember what cookies I got but I do remember it being pretty dang good. I ended up eating it as we walked back to my car. To rewind time a bit, before we headed in to the store, we stopped and took photos with this giant bear that was sitting on a bench outside. That's just the nature of these kinds of things. If you can pose/sit with a goofy thing, you gotta take a photo with it. Lets wrap this up. If you need a chocolate covered (item), Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory can hook you up. It might be a smaller business but they do have multiple locations, so check their website below if you are interested in checking them out. I can't promise you they will have a bear to take a photo with but if you go and there is one, do yourself a favor and take a fun photo with it. Sometimes we need to throw off the burdens of being an adult and let our inner child out.

If you have a sweet tooth and are in the area I would highly recommend RMCF! The apples and fudge…read moreare always delicious; The quality can't be beat!

They offer a great variety of soups and sandwiches. I had a chicken salad croissant that was…read moredelicious. Their staff is warm and very welcoming. The shopping is amazing...a wide array of foods, bulk foods, kitchen wares, and so much more. This was my first visit, but certainly won't be my last!

Great place to shop for fun & unique items. Living in Texas, over 800 miles away, I kind of wish…read morethey shipped. Discussing Braker's Market with a young gal from church, who also loves the store, we jokingly agreed, that Braker's is like an Apostolic Christian Buc-ee's. Y'all have fans in the Dallas - Fort Worth, Texas.

Cute little boutique for Fannie May Chocolates…read more Since it was my first time traveling to the Midwest, I was told Fannie May is the way to go if I was looking to bring back some sweets. I opted for the Mint Meltaways and something called a Pixie. The prices are reasonable and the packaging was nice. The only thing I wished they had were more selection on packaging. I wanted to pick up more as souvenirs, but all of it was for the Holidays and decorated with snowflakes or Santas, etc... The shop is clean and the ladies who were working that day were very kind and offered me a sample.

Very good popcorn. Very good service every time we go there. Will be back again. They make…read moredifferent kinds of popcorn every single day

Me and my kids went in to get the $5 fill your own bucket and came out with out bucket 2 more bags…read moreof popcorn and freeze dried candy! Both of the men that helped us out was very friendly and let us try sample of just about anything! I absolutely LOVE the peppermint and cinnamon roll popcorn

Pricey, but darling items. Sales staff well trained and friendly. They carry fun items.read more

Sara is the sweetest as is her shop! You'll be sure to find the perfect most unique gift - I got…read morethe cutest chalkboard cheese plate as a house warming gift!:) They have great party supplies- that I can't wait to shop when my LO's 2nd Bday comes around. I have also purchased a lollacup for my little one- the weighted straw is great and it has removable "wings" aka handles to easily fit into the diaper bag! Be sure to also check out my Little Pumpkin Bows!:) Sara has been a dream to work with and I'm so honored to sell them in her beautiful shop!:)

Cute shop offering a huge assortment of unique gifts, housewares, plants, and more. Always fun to…read morebrowse through! Friendly service and reasonable prices.

My new favorite spot! I could have spent hours looking at all of the little details in this shop…read more There was something different around every corner. I absolutely loved looking through the shelves full of artwork, jewelry, candles, and so much more. Friendly staff and very reasonable prices. I can't wait to go back!