Swedish Candy Store

by mo on 03/28/2011

I was going to tell you guys all about how I went to Hamlet’s Castle (Kronborg, in Helsingør, across the water in Denmark), but Joanna who also writes for Lundagård totally stole my thunder with her post A Reminder of the Old Days. I did the exact same trip (though it was less icy when I went), and all I have to say about Hamlet is that he must’ve had some killer parties in that ballroom of his.

However, I did find another major Scandinavian attraction that’s almost as good: a candy store.

Behold:
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Since I haven’t explained, candy in Sweden is definitely a “thing”. Every grocery store, 7-11, or other convenience store has an entire aisle devoted to candy in bins that you scoop out. I think there’s actually two candy aisles in the smallish ICA I shop at. You get a bag and buy it by weight. It’s cheap, and grown adults can often be seen doing this too, not just children.

Here’s what the candy bags from ICA look like:
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And one might choose an assortment like this:
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However, the candy store pictured above puts ICA and 7-11 to shame. There’s 3 huge rows of lösgodis (the candy in bins), as well as packaged candy.

Check out that entire WALL of bilar in the background:
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(Bilar, for those of you who don’t know, is Sweden’s best-selling car. Even more popular than Volvo:)
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I can’t really offer advice on WHICH candy to buy — typically I put in just one or two pieces of anything that looks mildly appetizing into my bag (lösgodis is very low-risk, it’s the speed-dating of candy…) and 80% turns out to be edible, and 20% turns out disgusting (to me, anyway. Swedes are really into licorice and it has a tendency to pop up when you least expect it).

For more advanced blogging about lösgodis and why you eat candy on Saturdays check out these two posts on Welcome to Sweden.

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No color-changing lights? The packaged candy feels ignored

For all I know, this is an average everyday candy store in Sweden, but to my untrained American eye, it was like walking into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

They also have a whole row of kitschy toy-like candy (think 1000 variations on ring-pops).

They also sell cigarettes.

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How to find this magical place:
The store is called “Candy People” and located at Bankgatan 6 (downtown). Walk in, grab a bag and a plastic shovel. Thank me for your next sugar rush.