Saturday Candy Co. opening 2nd store, in Sayville
Saturday Candy Co. offers Swedish candy by the pound in Stony Brook. The store is expanding to Sayville. Credit: Dan Palumbo
Before opening their first brick-and-mortar Swedish candy store, Saturday Candy Co., in Stony Brook last October, Julia Brandt says she and her husband, Bo Brandt, thought their five dozen varieties of sweet and sour gummy candies would "appeal to the kids." It has — they flock in on weekends, not unlike the Swedish tradition of indulging in a "Saturday sweet," Julia says — but they're not the only ones with a sweet tooth.
The co-owners are opening a second location, in Sayville, this spring. The South Shore expansion meets the demand of their customers, they say. "We have a lot of customers who come up from the South Shore" to shop, or place delivery orders for the area, says Bo, a Sayville native who now resides in Setauket.
"There's definitely demand," Julia says. "We ship to the South Shore every week."
Julia Brandt, a Swedish native, capitalized on the viral trend of Swedish candy on social media and opened Saturday Candy Co. in Stony Brook. Credit: Nicole Destefano
Part of that demand stems from the social media buzz around the trendy candies. Videos of people trying the treat, which is said to have a softer bite than American gummy candy, have millions of views on TikTok and Instagram. "I always call them the TikTok crowd," Julia says of teens and younger shoppers who purchase bags of her sweet and sour gluten-free and vegan gummy candies and run out to their cars to film their own taste-test reviews.
The new Sayville store, expected to open April 1, will be similar in experience to the Stony Brook location. Sixty varieties of candies from Sweden will line a self-serve wall where customers can fill up bags starting at $18 per pound. The most popular flavors are sour cherry and sour watermelon sticks, the Brandts say. Opposite the candy wall is a cozy seating area with a couch and small toys where children can play.
"Our aesthetic vibe plays an important role in our business," Bo says. "We are going to try to replicate what we've done in Stony Brook in Sayville. They are similar communities with a lot of families."
Saturday Candy Co.'s mobile rental cart will also be available in the Sayville shop. The cart, starting at $900 for two-hour events, has been a draw at children's birthday parties and adult events alike, Julia says.
"I wasn't really expecting that when we started," she says. "I thought it was going to a fun thing for kids parties, but everyone loves it. It puts them in such a good mood."
Saturday Candy Co., expected to open around April 1 at 12 Gillette Ave., Sayville; 73 Main St., Stony Brook, 631-525-3492, saturdaycandyco.org
