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Local Candy Shop Spreads Love on Valentine’s Day and Beyond Local Candy Shop Spreads Love on Valentine's Day and Beyond

By Adam Pankowski

ADAM PANKOWSKI: Robin Mack has something of a sweet tooth. And just like many others, chocolates and candy are her holiday go-tos.
ROBIN MACK: It’s just a tradition that people have stuck with.
PANKOWSKI: For Robin Mack, Valentine’s Day is her super bowl of business early on in the new year.
MACK: It’s a nice little week and a half of having to amp up the volume.
PANKOWSKI: Sweet Dream Candy Shoppe owner Mack has rows of jars filled with all sorts of chocolates. From loading up at the candy bar, to filling your own quart of chocolates, Her top priority is variety. But she also takes customer requests for out-of-store items specifically for this holiday.
MACK: So, I make sure when people come in the door that I let them know that, you know, you might not see something that you like or there’s not a lot of pre-made items, but just let me know and we can put something special together for, for your valentine.
PANKOWSKI: This year, Mack has added in new mini Valentine’s Day packages for people who don’t want to spend a lot of money. But her most popular item is something she has been making for years. The Sweet Dream Candy Shoppe makes specialty orders just like the chocolate charcuterie board perfect for Valentine’s Day or other occasions. The board is a process to make but Mack makes has it down to a science. Every board is based off weight. Customers get to choose from five different chocolate jars and the design for how it is laid out. It’s not complete until it’s wrapped nicely with a bow on top. And for Mack, making these boards never gets old. Reporting in Baldwinsville, Adam Pankowski, NCC News.

BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. (NCC News) –  Robin Mack has something of a sweet tooth. Just like many others on Valentine’s Day, chocolates and candy are her favorite treats. Owner of the Sweet Dream Candy Shoppe Mack said the longtime tradition of gifting sweets on Valentine’s Day has been a nice boost to her business.

“It’s a nice little week and a half of having to amp up the volume,” Mack said.

Mack tries to make each gift or package she makes special for the customer. She has made it her mission to bring more variety of sweets in her store than local retail stores. In her store, customers will find dozens of different chocolate flavors in jars and pounds of candy assortments in buckets.

Mack also takes out-of-store orders as she tries to help her customers find exactly what they’re looking for.

“I make sure when people come in the door that I let them know that, you know, you might not see something that you like or there’s not a lot of pre-made items, but just let me know and we can put something special together for, for your valentine,” Mack said.

Some of the ways  customers can customize their orders are to:

  • fill up your own pint or quart of assorted candy
  • bag assorted chocolates in bulk
  • create small, economic-friendly Valentine’s Day packages with the help of Mack

The most popular item among customers on Valentine’s Day is the chocolate charcuterie board. The creation process begins with the customer picking out a small, medium or large board based off the price range they’d like to pay. After choosing the chocolates that’ll be put on the board, the chocolates are then weighed, decorated nicely and wrapped with the bow of the customer’s choosing to finish off the gift.

“The chocolate charcuterie board is my favorite item to make,” Mack said.

The creativity of the board is in the hand’s of the customer and the dozens of chocolates that it can choose from.

Mack also said she is now looking ahead at the calendar as she prepares for pre-orders of her Saint Patrick’s Day and Easter holiday supply of candy and chocolates.

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