candy | A is for Austin

When I was in grad school in Salt Lake City, my budget was the classic starving-student tight. Most luxuries were out of reach…except one. Every week, there was a buy-one-get-one special at the See’s in the mall near my downtown work.

And every week, on that morning, I would be there for my double dose of their dark chocolate truffles. Two sweet treats in my tiny bag, I would head for my favorite bench and eat the first one. Slowly, savouring every bite. Then I would put the bag with the second one into my purse, and head for work. That sweet morsel was my lunch treat, the perfect end to what was usually an otherwise ordinary PB & J or cheese sandwich lunch.

That small indulgence was my personal ritual, until graduation came and I moved away.

It’s been years since I’ve lived anywhere near a See’s candy shop. But this week, all of that changed. See’s Candies is having their grand opening right here in Austin!

Tonight was the bloggers event to let those of us who share Austin area food news get an inside look at the new store.

And taste. We got to taste…a lot! All kinds of deliciousness I remember from See’s in Salt Lake. Boxes of chocolate were passed around. Samples were offered from the chocolate counter. Stories were shared of See’s memories from California or Utah.

We checked out the newest offerings, especially all the colorful Easter choices (what a perfect time to open a See’s, right?!)

And then the fun started. All the bloggers and guests were invited to try their hand at packing a box of chocolates. But just like Lucy in that old TV series, we had to do it as fast as possible! We even got to wear hair nets! It was classic See’s fun…they always did know how to make something as simple as buying a box of chocolates into something fun and special.

My box of chocolates and my Lucy hairnet

My very own packed-by-me box of chocolate…and of course, my hair net!

I know there are other candy stores in Austin. But when it comes down to it, there’s only one See’s. And I’m so glad they’ve landed here.Time to make some new See’s memories!

The Specs

10710 Research Blvd
North Hills Town Center (next to the H-E-B)
Austin, TX 78759
Ph: (512) 372-1048
Hours:
Mon-Fri 10am – 9pm
Sat 10am – 9pm
Sun 11am – 7pm

My parents told me stories about candy stores when they were kids. Bins and bins of bright colored candies waited for little hands wielding shiny scoops. They talked about the sound of the candy as it fell into the bag, and how hard it was to wait to dig in until they arrived at the movies or some other special event.

For me, candy shopping as a kid was a wander down the aisle of the nearby convenience store. For my kids, it’s generally been the shelves at Target or Walgreens. Aside from a sleeker candy-by-the-pound store that used to be in Hummelstown, PA when we lived nearby, I don’t think my kids ever experienced anything like the Big Top Candy Shop.

This is the kind of place my parents would have recognized. And my daughter loves. We can’t go anywhere near this area of South Congress without her dragging my husband (the other sweet tooth in the family) in for “just a few pieces of candy.”

Big Top is a mix of old-fashioned candies like “Mary Janes” and “Squirrel Nut Zippers” mixed with today’s sour Gummy Worms. There’s a good about of novelty candy, too, all poking fun at some of today’s culture.

Oh, and just in case all of that doesn’t fill your sugar quota, they have locally made ice cream too. Ready, set, sugar-overload! But oh so good while you’re eating it!