When I was kid, growing up in the Back Bay section of Baldwinville, there were two candy stores in our tiny neighborhood! We had Frank’s on Pleasant Street, and then we had the more friendly Flis Market at the bottom of Fessenden Street. *As a reference, it’s pronounced Flisses.
I have so many childhood memories of that place–I can still even recollect the smell of the store. It was the tiniest grocery store I’ve ever been to, the few aisles that there were (1? 2?) were pretty tight and as kids we really only cared about the white lift-top popsicle freezer immediately to the left of the entrance and the penny candy.
Occasionally we’d be sent to the Flis to get milk or burger buns, and I even have memories of that! I know I don’t look much like a lying troublemaker, but there was a time when my mother gave me money to get burger buns and in some moment of genius, I instead decided to get several plastic candy-filled crocodiles. How did I think I was going to get away with that?
I remember wheeling my wagon down to Flis’ Market to get milk (I really don’t think I was much than 5 and being sent to run errands by myself–my mother might remember it differently). When I returned home with the gallon of milk, it tipped out of the wagon and broke all over the sidewalk. I just turned my wagon around and went back and told Mrs. Flis and she gave me a new gallon of milk, no questions asked. The tiny brown bags and the variety of penny candy was my favorite part of every visit to Flis Market. Only got a nickel? No problem–what would you like?
Flis Market began my lifetime appreciation of Swedish fish, which were much larger in the late ’70s. A few years ago, we were on a drive out toward the Book Mill in Turners Falls, and we happened by a Flis Market in Erving! It turns out that a new generation of Flis family is continuing the legacy of the store that was in business in Baldwinville for almost 90 years! Stop by the new Flis Market at 5 West Main Street in Erving.
Getting in the car and want to make sure there are some candy stores on your route? Here’s a few in Central Mass and beyond. Let me know if I’m missing any!
Andover
Sweet Mimi’s
Bellingham
Pandolfi’s Fine Chocolates
Belmont
A Chocolate Dream
Bolton
Colonial Candies
Boston
Phillips Chocolates
Sugarfina
Brockton
Gowell’s Candy
Cambridge
Spindler Confections
Chatham
Chatham Candy Manor
Chatham Penny Candy
Chelmsford
Mrs. Nelson’s Candy House
Deerfield
Richard’s Candy Kitchen
Dennis
Nancy’s Candy Etc.
Dennis Port
Stage Stop Candy
East Longmeadow
Maureen’s Sweet Shoppe
Erving
Erving Station, LLC
Gardner
Priscilla Candy Shop
Holden
Al’s Candy Shop
Hyannis
Kandy Korner
Great Barrington
Robin’s Candy Store
Holliston
The Candy Cottage
Hyde Park
McCrea’s Candies
Jefferson
Stewart’s Chocolates
Lenox
Chocolate Springs Cafe
Marlborough
Wayside Candy Store
Marshfield
Peppermint Twist Candy Shoppe
Millbury
The Candy Shoppe
Newburyport
Simply Sweet
The Candy Man
Newton Highlands
Indulge!
North Easton
Hilliard’s Chocolate and Candy Shop
Northampton
Captain Candy
Sweetie’s Fine Chocolate
Firetype Chocolate
Ana Banderia Chocolates
North Andover
The Candy Dish
Norwood
Furlong’s Candies
Plymouth
Plimoth Candy Company
Prides Crossing
Prides Crossing Confections
Salem
Curly Girl Candy Shop
The Chocolate Pantry
Ye Olde Pepper Candy Company
Shelburne Falls
Mo’s Fudge Factor
Shrewsbury
Hebert Candies
Stoneham
Winfrey’s Fudge and Chocolates
Walpole
Watson’s Candies
Westborough
Boro Sugar Shack
West Boylston
Parker’s Candy
Whitman
Pinches and Pounds
Worcester
Bri’s Sweet Treats
Wrentham
Trappistine Candy