Community Chat

[Enufstuff]

  Back in the 50s-60s, every neighborhood had a little variety store. They sold milk, bread, newspapers, comic books, popsicles, soda and small toys like yoyos.

  But the treat that children would mostly go for was the penny candy and there were so many kinds in that big glass case. For 25 cents, you could get a small bag full.

  If you are old enough to remember that, what were some of your favorites?

  Mine were Mint Juleps, Malted Milk Balls, Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops, Jelly Orange Slices, Smarties, Bazooka Gum, Nonpariels and toffees that were wrapped in red paper, twisted at each end.

I just remembered couple more, those banana flavored Circus Peanuts and little licorice Candy Records, with the little pink candy ball in the center.

[Meowingkitty]

I don't remember the candy but I do remember buying 12 cents worth so I didn't have to pay a penny tax. If I bought 13 cents worth I had to pay tax. 

[Carmie]

We used to gather discarded Coke bottles from around the neighborhood and cash them in.  They were worth 2 cents for the small ones and 5 cents for the larger ones.  We would buy candy with our new found money.

My favorites were

Squirrel nut zippers

watermelon coconut slices

Bit o honey

Atomic fire balls

paper sheets with candle dots

Mary Janes

Tootsie Pops

Red fish

BB Bats

Kits

[Jo1313]

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@Enufstuff wrote:

  Back in the 50s-60s, every neighborhood had a little variety store. They sold milk, bread, newspapers, comic books, popsicles, soda and small toys like yoyos.

  But the treat that children would mostly go for was the penny candy and there were so many kinds in that big glass case. For 25 cents, you could get a small bag full.

  If you are old enough to remeber that, what were some of your favorites?

  Mine were Mint Juleps, Malted Milk Balls, Tootsie Rolls and Tootsie Pops, Jelly Orange Slices, Smarties, Bazooka Gum, Nonpariels and toffees that were wrapped in red paper, twisted at each end.

I just remembered couple more, those banana flavored Circus Peanuts and little licorice Candy Records, with the little pink candy ball in the center.

I remember all of that..My parents owned the store! Also with hand packed Breyer's Ice cream!

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[Enufstuff]

@Meowingkitty   Tax on foods? Wow! We fortunately have never had a tax on food(Except restaurants) in Massachusetts.

[Effie54]

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@Enufstuff wrote:

@Meowingkitty   Tax on foods? Wow! We fortunately have never had a tax on food(Except restaurants) in Massachusetts.

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Yup, come to Connecticut, we'll tax the daylights out of you. 

[Enufstuff]

@Carmie  I forgot about Bit o Honey and I loved those big red

                 Fireballs. I though that it was neat, how each layer   was a different color, red, pink, white.

  The watermelon slices were cute, but I didn't really like the bits of coconut in them.

[Enufstuff]

@Jo1313   You were a very lucky girl! I bet you had a lot of friends.

[QVCkitty1]

Penny candy, what a sweet memory, and if you had a nickle you could get a candy bar !

[Enufstuff]

@Effie54   We are referred to as "Taxachusetts", very high on property and everything else, except food.