Sweet-Tooth Fix For Baby Boomers: Nostalgic Candy

wlky ^ | 10-30-03

[wheelgunguru]

Baby Boomers can't seem to grow up, at least when comes to their taste in candy.

People who want to celebrate Halloween with wax lips, Gold Mine Gum and other hard-to-find candies from their youth are finding more companies catering to the middle-age sweet tooth.

The Woodstock Candy company in upstate New York is doing a booming business, catering to the boomers' sweet-tooth.

They have retro goodies like wax lips, candy cigarettes and those candy buttons on paper. But the company is up-to-date in marketing.

Boomers can buy their sugar fix from the Web site WoodstockCandy.com.

There's also a bow to the political correctness of the 21st century. Candy cigarettes are now called candy sticks. But some old-time favorites still provide a puff of sugar when you blow through a hole in the middle.

Bridget Sweeney-Bell says people are usually thrilled to find candy from their childhood is still available. She says candy buttons, Nik-L-Nip and candy cigarettes are big sellers this year on her Web site.

Tom Scheiman stocks 2,500 items in his Cleveland candy store, 200 of which he classifies as "nostalgic."

Nostalgic candy has become a niche in the $24 billion U.S. candy business, in part because the biggest candy makers like Wrigley and Pennsylvania-based Hershey have concentrated on fewer items, especially chocolate.

That means wax lips and Atomic Fireballs can be hard to find on store shelves.

[Floratina]

Your mention of Tang reminded me of something else - Space Food Sticks! And while I'm at it, anyone remember Libbyland Dinners? Long live Libby The Kid.

[Floratina]

Oh, you beat me with the Space Food Sticks! I should read the whole thread before responding.

[Rainmist]

My Publix just started selling all three of these ( Beemans ). A lot of the stuff you guys are mentioning can be found at dollar stores, like candy sticks. I love this thread !!

[hoagy62]

I LOVED Space Food Sticks...although my sister thought they were gross beyond words.

Another favorite was Adam's Sour Apple Gum. Still the standard for how apple candies should taste!

My grandparents owned a mom-and-pop grocery store. There wasn't a candy in the counter that I didn't try! You knew it was Halloween time when the front of the store had Reser's Caramel Apples and Popcorn Balls.

(Anyone remember the short-lived "Reggie" bars?)

[wheelgunguru]

zero bars were around when he was a kid (50's)

I was born in '51, and I remember 'em well. I haven't had one since then, either.

[xsmommy]

TN?? yunz is Pittsburghese! those jagoffs are my Pittsburgh homies, i was pinging! you mean to tell me they say yunz in TN too??

[katnip]

My Publix just started selling all three of these

Boy do I miss Publix and Goodings since I moved back to NY. We have nothing to compare around here to those great supermarkets you have down south.

[Merdoug]

We got em in Nashville.

[Fresh Wind]

ATOMIC FIREBALLS!!!

[wolficatZ]

Wacky Packs w/bubblegum were coool

[2Jedismom]

Yep...Marathon bars.

Had a catchy commercial that I like to tease my husband with sometimes. Remember it? LOL

[GraniteStateConservative]

Where I grew up, they weren't called "Chocolate Babies," sadly.

[GraniteStateConservative]

The 50's? Hell, I heard them called that in the 70s.

[GraniteStateConservative]

The 50's? Hell, I heard them called that in the 70s.

[iceskater]

Oh yeah, smashing the Turkish Taffy on the sidewalk was the best part! We had contests to see who could smash the best. Vanilla and chocolate were my favs, tho.

[iceskater]

How about Funny Face powdered drink mixes.

Rootin Tootin Rasberry, Jolly Olly Orange, Goofy Grape, Choo Choo Cherry...

Oh my gosh - how did you remember those flavors? I had totally forgotten all about that until you mentioned it. LOL

[iceskater]

I think sweet tarts are gone now too.

No, they're still around. In fact, the bag of candy that I'll be distributing tonight for Halloween has small packets of Sweet Tarts included. Got the candy assortment from the Price Club (aka Costco).

[CathyRyan]

I loved Chunkys and Candy Clear Toys. :)

[freedomson]

[cyncooper]

Oh, Geez...what's Fed-Mart?

Oh! We used to have Fed-Mart here in Tucson years ago. I still have stuff I bought there. It was like K-mart. We also used to buy our Christmas trees there.