Candy wonderland opens

Folks of all ages looking to satisfy their sweet tooth have a new destination in Carlton County: Sweetly Kismet Candy store.

Just follow the trail of 45 five-foot-tall suckers to find the sweet new business, located a short drive up a dirt road behind and east of the Minnesota Highway 210 Kwik Trip store near Interstate 35.

Tuesday afternoon brothers Keigan Lennartson, 12, and Brody McIvor, 7, were checking out the many different aisles of the candy store and their offerings of brightly colored sweets, sodas and other sugar-filled items. They were smiling, happy and, yes, like kids in a candy store, as Brody showed off his selection of gumballs in a small baseball-shaped dispenser.

"There's a lot of great candy: candy tacos and burgers, ICEE candy spray," Keigan said.

Brody chimed in, adding "edible goo" to the list. "I'm like ... 'What?'" he said.

Add all kinds of candy, chocolate (with and without sriracha) and even jerky to the list. And there are remakes of old classics found here too.

Vintage candies such as Beemans gum, wax sticks, jawbreakers, Gold Nugget bubble gum, candy sticks along with more modern treats like Airheads and Jelly Belly candies fill the shelves along with specialty items like a Bob Ross "flavor palette" paintbrush dipping candy to go with a Bob Ross energy drink.

Folks can even make "candy art" by filling long clear plastic tubes with different colors of Pucker Powder, an option that appealed to 9-year-old Asher Maki. Maki said he loves the new store.

"I want it all to myself," he said, on a visit with mom and dad, Amanda and Micah Maki, and siblings Jackson Williams, 13, and Mason Maki, age 4.

"I've only been to one other candy store before and this one is way better," Asher said.

"They'd better bring us back," Jackson said.

The shop has been bustling since opening day June 26, according to owners and Cromwell area residents Jon and Ashley Parrott. Jon estimated close to 4,000 people had visited the store over the first four days it was open.

"We really appreciate the support we've gotten right off the bat here," Jon said, explaining that he and Ashley had been mulling the idea of opening a large candy store for at least a couple of years. They spent a couple of years traveling with their kids after Jon got out of a different business about two-and-a-half years ago, and they would stop at similar stores across the country. For the last year or so, they've been collecting antiques, along with a vintage biplane that rests in a loft up above and a 1925 Model T Ford pickup truck that takes centerstage on the candy warehouse floor. They broke ground on the store in December and put on the finishing touches last week.

Outside the store on Tuesday, Cassie McIvor was headed home with her boys, Brody and Keigan. She was empty-handed, but they weren't.

"A mom in a candy store, I don't know. But we'll be back. It's good to have some place to bribe them," she said. "They can have a trip to the candy store if they clean their rooms, things like that."

Sweetly Kismet hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Take exit 235 off Interstate 35, or just head to the Kwik Trip on Highway 210 in Carlton and look for the Kismet sign and the trail of suckers. The address is 1707 Highway 210, Carlton.