— By Matt Golec

West Lebanon, NH 5/31/23

Stepping into Sophia’s Candy Corner feels like turning back the clock.

It’s not just the candy-filled jars anchoring the West Lebanon store, which harken back to five and dime merchants. The shop also has a dedicated “Nostalgia Nook” featuring older, hard-to-find candy such as Mallo Cups and Sky Bars, Chuckles, and three flavors of Charleston Chews.

That often draws an emotional response from her customers, said Sophia Lowe, who runs the Glen Road Plaza store.

“I have older couples that come in and really love the nostalgia,” Lowe said. “I have kids that come in with their parents, and sometimes it seems the parents are more excited than the kids. The kids are having fun, but the parents are going back in time.”

And time is on Lowe’s mind these days. On Saturday, June 17, Sophia’s Candy Corner will celebrate its first anniversary with balloons and cake for customers, along with more than 800 different types of candy for sale on the shelves.

“It’s a small shop, but the variety is huge,” Lowe said.

Sophia Lowe fills the bulk candy containers at Sophia’s Candy Corner in West Lebanon, N.H. The store celebrates its first anniversary on Saturday, June 17. Matt Golec photos.

Despite all the choices, there are fan favorites. The classic Sky Bar — a chocolate bar with caramel, vanilla, peanut and fudge pockets — is a top seller, as are candy cigarettes (the packages may say ‘sticks’ or ‘gum,’ but there’s no doubt these are edible smokes).

Local maple products also do well, which makes sense in the Upper Valley, but then Lowe pointed to a wall of novelty candies.

“Right now, the trendy stuff is freeze dried,” she said, showing off bags of Skittles, taffy, and Charleston Chews that were puffed out, as though caught in mid-explosion.

Lowe explained the appeal behind freeze-drying these super-chewy candies. “Especially if you have a hard time eating a Bit-O-Honey? You can eat it like this because it’s crunchy and just melts in your mouth.”

Sophia Lowe says that freeze-dried candies like these are popular pick-ups from her novelty candy wall.

The idea for a candy store originated with Lowe’s mother, Dot. “She always wanted a little candy store,” Lowe said. “She thought it would be fun.”

Lowe’s parents spent four decades running the restaurant Topic of the Town in Littleton, NH, and Lowe and her mother would talk about plans for the shop. When Dot died a few years ago, Lowe, who was teaching third grade at Lebanon’s Hanover Street School, realized she still wanted to open a candy store. Right by the cash register is a bin of candy labeled ‘Hot Dot Special,’ named after her mother.

“I think she’d be proud of it,” Lowe said of the store.

Lowe’s partner, Darren Carter, co-owns the shop with Lowe. Although Carter keeps plenty busy with his business, Midnight Auto Recovery Services, he was a big help in setting up shelves and taking in candy orders while Lowe finished up her teaching job. The day after school ended, Lowe was behind the candy counter.