Woodward Avenue Candy Shop hits the sweet spot

Woodward Avenue Candy Shop hits the sweet spot

Candy shops and nostalgia might go hand in hand, but Janie and John DeJaeghere,  the owners of a new Ferndale sweet store along Woodward Avenue, are banking on their customers' childhood memories to give this new venture a storybook ending.

The DeJaegheres hope to provide a niche service for customers who remember Candy Buttons and Mary Janes -- penny candy that's now hard to find. Not to mention homemade cotton candy and different flavors of fudge, cooked by the DeJaeghere family themselves.

"I can't tell you the number of people who come in smiling, saying, 'Oh my, I haven't seen (a type of candy) in 30 years!'" Janie DeJaeghere said. "We wanted people to not only get fun, nostalgic candy, but also the experience of their childhood, younger days, when there were no rules, no cares in the world. When (customers) walk in and see something, it brings back memories and they can't help but smile."

That sense of carefree fun also extends to the feel of the shop itself. While there are hours posted on the storefront door, the owners say it's more of a suggestion than a rule.

"We stay open until customers stop coming in," said DeJaeghere, the youngest of 12 children. "Everyone who walks in the door is paying the bills. No matter if someone spends 10 cents or $100, they get the same treatment."

The new shop is located at 23337 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale. Read more about the Woodward Avenue Candy Shop here.