An Ontario man quit his job of nearly a decade to “strike out on his own” — and the result is one of Ontario’s most unique candy stores.
After spending just under nine years working at an Indigo location (five of which he spent as a manager) in London, Ontario, Josh Stern felt it was time to make a big change.
“While I learned a lot over the years and had some great experiences, I was beginning to feel like I was in a rut and as much as I loved the company and my store,” he tells blogTO.
“At one point, I took a step back to really take a look at where I was and what I wanted the next chapter of my life to be,” he says. “I think often we’re so in the weeds of the day-to-day that we don’t realize how much we’ve actually learned throughout our lives.”
Taking stock of all he had learned and where he wanted to go next, the idea for All The Candy, Richmond Hill’s newest and only exotic candy store, was born.
“I started doing my research and 18 months later, I had a store,” Stern tells blogTO.
The idea to source and sell interesting, unique and exotic treats didn’t just come out of thin air, though. Stern has been intrigued by unique candies ever since he was a kid, taking road trips to Buffalo with his family and scouring the aisles of Wegman’s.
“The thing I liked most of all was the American Fruity Pebbles, which now some 30 years later is actually available in Canada,” he muses. “But at the time, I could only get it once or twice a year.”
All The Candy carries goodies from around the world — including the currently trendy Swedish candy.
While the concept of the exotic candy store has been steadily growing in popularity over recent years — Toronto spots like Queen West’s Exotic Snax come to mind — Josh has something not all the other competitors do: a deep personal interest and history with the landscape.
“I’m not looking to jump on any bandwagon,” he tells blogTO. “I’ve been on this ‘bandwagon’ since I was a kid. And now I’m the only one in Richmond Hill.”
All The Candy officially opened for business on June 20 and Stern says the response so far has been amazing.
“Everyone who comes in loves it,” he tells blogTO. “The great thing about candy is that it doesn’t discriminate. No matter your age or where you come from, you’ll find something that appeals to you.”
The store offers an extensive selection of more than 800 different products, from candy and chocolate to hot sauce, from vendors all around the world — including more than a few small local businesses, like Ontario’s own Tatsely Box.
The experience of spending time in the store, Stern says, is of equal importance as the candy on the shelf is.
Stern sells more than just candy — you can find a slew of other treats like hot sauce and pickles, too.
“It’s not like a convenience store where people come in, grab a coke, and leave. Most people spend 15-20 minutes here looking around,” he tells blogTO.
“They take pictures, send [them] to their friends, talk about which things they want to try next or reminisce about a candy they haven’t had since they were younger.”
Stern describes the store as a place where adults can be kids again, “and kids… well, let’s just say I’ve had more than a few parents tell me their kids were watching my signs very closely to keep them updated on when I would finally open.”
Building a candy store from the ground up hasn’t been without its challenges. Stern tells blogTO that it was difficult to navigate the red tape surrounding starting his own business, like leases, contracting and banking, but once the store was finally open, Stern says, he knew what to do.
“Going from what was an empty, concrete shell and building it into a functioning, real business has been very fulfilling,” he says, adding that, while he regularly finds himself working 12-or-more hour days, he revels in the knowledge that he’s building something entirely his own.
“And I have to say, while I made this store with millennials in mind, seeing how happy kids are when they come in has been pretty fun too!” he adds.
If you want to experience the sweetness of All The Candy for yourself, you can visit Stern at 9471 Yonge Street in Richmond Hill, open from 11 am to 8 pm, Tuesday to Friday, and 11 am to 7 pm on Saturdays.