Amy's Candy Bar

We hadn't planned to go here but after seeing three young women with ice-cream cones, we stopped in. It's mainly a candy store with a limited ice-cream selection. For less than $10, we had two one-scoop cones (sugar cone was excellent) with a malted-milk ball on the bottom. A very nice young woman let us sample. Highly recommended!

Not only does Amy’s have amazing chocolates and a terrific selection of other candies that can’t be found anywhere else, their customer service is outstanding—they’re friendly and helpful, have stayed open late for us, given us samples when we’ve been on the fence. They stock super fun candies from my childhood to top notch gourmet chocolates that make an impressive gift. The Dubai chocolate bar is dangerously habit-forming.

If you love candy and ice cream look no further than Amy's Candy Bar! From the moment you step inside, you're greeted by a friendly staff and colorful array of candies and chocolates. The selection here is nothing short of spectacular. Whether you’re into old school sweets or the latest craze of Swedish Gummies or Dubai Chocolate Bars, Amy's has you covered. Not to mentions Amy's house-made chocolates rival the finest high-end shops in elegance and quality. The Chocolate Shoppe ice cream is fantastic year round and they have rotating seasonal flavors. I just enjoyed a Yippie Skippy cone tonight! :) The staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, always ready to help you find the perfect treat. The store itself is charmingly decorated and clean, creating a welcoming atmosphere that makes every visit a pleasure. If you’re in the area, don’t miss out on this delightful spot. Amy's Candy Bar is more than just a candy and ice cream store – it’s a sweet escape from the everyday. Highly recommended!

Found this small, beautiful shop when I first moved to the area and it’s has been without a doubt the best candy shop I have ever been to! The Staff from Amy (owner), Kendra and Brooke are always welcoming and at your service! It offers an array of different textures and flavors, and even many vegan/halal options. I cannot count how many times I didn’t have an idea for a gift and just got Amy’s and they were happy!

This is my favorite candy shop in Chicago for myself and my kids! The staff is very nice to my kids and they are always offering up new fun items. My favorite is the chocolate and peanut butter graham cracker truffles.

I was excited to have had the opportunity to visit as a tourist of Chicago.... I went in on a recommendation to buy candy for my employees back home. I brought over $100 worth of candy to the counter only to be told I wouldn't be able to use cash (all I had was 1 $100 bill and 1 $20 bill). Earlier that day I took out the exact dollar amount that I wanted to spend during my day out on the town. I had to ultimately use my card which wasn't ideal for me. If there was ay issue with counterfeit money, why wouldn't they invest in markers to detect the fake money? Oh well, hope my team enjoys it...

Such a cute store with amazing stuff! I went in twice for the Viral Dubai Chocolate bar and have been going around Illinois to try this chocolate and I can say that the look and taste is just like the one you get in Dubai and I ordered 10 large bars!!! THAT GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Definitely recommend going here for this viral chocolate but also recommend this place if you are a chocolate LOVER!!!

Wow! I only recently tried this place and wish I’d gone there sooner. A BEAUTIFUL selection of artisan chocolates and candies, plus ice and phenomenal malts and shakes. The chocolate malt I tried on my first visit was delicious but the Salted Caramel was UNBELIEVABLE! I’m going back more often!!!

It's a little shop but it's packed full of candy!! The staff was very welcoming and more than willing to answer any questions we had. The prices, considering its location, are very reasonable. Most of the small bags of candy are around $5. They have a wide variety of candy and so many new ones to try. Like chocolate candies shaped like olives and lemon shortbread candies. They also have some Swedish candies too. It's a really wonderful candy shop.

My daughter and I were on the hunt for the "famous" Dubai chocolate. Since we live in the neighborhood, we tried Amy's candy bar. They had it but we had to preorder. We placed the order on Sunday for one bar. It was expensive $16! We were supposed to pick it up Tuesday but they called and postponed the pickup till Wednesday due to lack of ingredients! Finally we got to try it and ....... I wasn't impressed at all. Side wise, it's a normal bar of chocolate with just a little filling. Taste wise, salty is the word that describes it the best. Disappointing and expensive. The store is cute , the people working there were nice but expensive and not very good quality.

I have been here before, but its been awhile. I recently picked up a birthday gift for someone and it reminded me of how much I love this place! Its a small shop off of Damen- close to the brownline. It typically has street parking out front. Amy's has a ton of options- between classic candy, to gummies, to chocolate and beyond. They even have ice cream scoops (very limited flavors from Chocolate Shoppe). Its hard to choose! Many of the items- esp caramels and chocolates are made in house. And WOW are they good!!! The caramels come in packs of individual flavors or assorted. They always have regular, dark chocolate, raspberry and mango passionfruit. They also make seasonal ones. They are buttery soft. They typically have 1/4 and 1/2 lb bags of candy out, but you can request additional sizes. I got 1/4 lb bags- which were about $5-8 each. I will absolutely be back! Overall experience 5/5

Amy's Candy Bar is another one of the neighborhood businesses that's been around over a decade yet I've never visited in the many years I've lived here. Perhaps I can forgive myself since fancy candy stores aren't places I tend to shop. I can't exactly recall what caused me to finally stop in here--I suspect it was finding out they have ice cream sandwiches made here. When I visited Asheville a few years ago we went to Sunshine Sammies, a shop that sells house-made ice cream sandwiches, and it sounded like this is exactly what Amy's had; a welcome treat since SS is local to Asheville and they've stopped shipping their products! Amy's ice cream sandwiches are made with two cookies and a few different flavors of ice cream. They are pre-made, generally, but I think you can mix and match flavors from the cookies and ice creams to make your own. I stuck with the pre-made ones since I was bringing them home to eat at a later time anyway. Yuuuuuummmmm! They also had peach milkshakes as of August 1, when peaches are in season, so I had to get one. I think it included actual chunks of peach with the vanilla ice cream, but they also use a simple syrup to up the peachiness. It was really delicious. I only wish they'd had them when my mom was here a few weeks prior, since we'd tried a peach milkshake elsewhere that was much less flavorful. I think they have strawberry milkshakes when strawberries are in season, so next May or June you might see me here to get a shake based on my favorite fruit. In addition to their cold treats, they have a lot of candy since after all it is a candy shop. There are some old fashioned candies here and some more modern, innovative ones. Some of their summer treats included a lemon chocolate bar, strawberry rhubarb caramels, coconut milk caramels, and peach and sour cherry gummies. I got an assortment of some things and all of them were excellent. The strawberry rhubarb caramels are a mystery wrapped in an enigma... when almost anyone who's not a chef or something thinks of caramel, there's a very specific flavor profile that comes to mind but this wasn't caramel as we generally tend to think of it. Caramel is basically sugar and a few other ingredients cooked to the firm-ball stage, but I am curious what base they used for this since it had none of the flavor typical of what we call caramel. Maybe a syrup or simply added flavors to the basic caramel recipe? Parking is street only. The shop is fairly tiny but they have some outdoor seating when the season calls for it, especially since they have ice cream and folks can hang around and eat. I believe they only take bills as large as a $20, and that's probably regardless of whether you spend $75 here so plan accordingly (they take cards, and I used ApplePay, so all is not lost). They have a frequent customer program as well, which as of August 2023 earns you one punch per $5 spent (pre-tax); once you fill up a card, you receive $5 off your next purchase.

It took me a while to decide to write this review because I didn't want to feel like I was throwing this woman under the bus. So I was here on Tuesday April 9, 2024 to purchase some gourmet chocs for gifts. I walk in, there is a lady in the shop attending to two female customers with a kid. She looks at me and looks away, no word, no smile. To me she had a look of "hey we don't give out free candy here". That is just an assumption but I felt the lack of acknowledgement was incredibly rude on her part, plus I did not know what to do, whether to leave or say something. The right response on seeing me walk in should have been a "hello, I 'll be with you in a moment when I finish with the current customers". Anyway, after about 45 seconds of her looking at me, I asked if she was the person who would attend to me or another?. The customers she was attending to then gracefully allowed her to attend to me because their kid would take a while to choose anyway. Suffice to say the store lady was all smiles after I made my purchase, one could see her surprise. People!. People!!. People!!!. Don't prescreen customers when they walk in to your store!. You never know who is coming to make your sales day!

Amy, is super nice. very helpful and has great staff as well. The variety and selection is excellent. I will stop by as often as long as I can keep to a strict diet in my other food choices.

this is an amazing candy store! they have a wonderful selection of delicious fresh candy, and an impressive selection rare candies. stop by if you're looking for the best candy ever! amy the owner is the best!

My husband and I truly are the perfect match. I prefer chocolate, he prefers fruity gummies, and therefore we never have to deal with one of us eating the other person's treats :) Amy's really was perfect for us both. They have their holiday and/or themed candies in the middle, and they let you sample anything in any of the jars. They had a huge variety of dark chocolate, which made me a happy camper. I've also had their blondie bars at many of the local street festivals and they are SINFUL. Literal melt-in-your-mouth goodness. So thankful I finally stopped in! Service was incredible! I'll definitely be back :)

I was referred to Amy's Candy Bar by a pet boutique directly across the street called 4 Legs. Amy's Candy Bar sells these adorable dog ice cream cones. Anyway, I originally went in just for the dog ice cream cone, and I ended up leaving with the dog cone, dark chocolate covered pistachios, and cola flavored gummies. THEY'RE DELICIOUS! What I love about this place is it has an authentic small town candy store atmosphere and they carry a wide variety of candy that you won't typically find at a chain store. I also love that the goods are organized and the staff was helpful and friendly. P.S. I felt like a kid walking out of Toys R Us.

OH MY LORD! Amy has the best Oreo-Espresso ice cream on the planet. The chocolate covered peanuts are wonderful as well! Amy is also lovely :)

This delightful candy store has homemade goodies along with a great selection of vintage candies. It's also a darling shop!

My candy and chocolate containers are already empty. I need it after I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, while watching movies and also while doing my work. It's my hobby to eat sweets everyday. So I decided to come here. It's my first time here and I would try to buy another store. I'm so excited when Im enter this place. It's full of candies and chocolate. Some are put on the glass and some are in the pack of plastic. So because I want to try other sweets I pick every flavor and kind of candy. I have gummies, soft candies, hard candies, chocolate candies, marshmallows and many more. I bought a lot and I'm so excited to eat all of it. While paying for my chocolate I also bought an ice cream and it tasted cool and sweet. I highly recommend this place for you.

I'd give zero stars if I could. My daughter and I visit the store when we're in the area. We left the doctor's office today after a series of tests. My daughter was exhausted and asked to go to Amy's Candy Bar. I went to pay and was told that large bills weren't accepted, ok, so I paid with a card. I asked for a new rewards card because I couldn't find my current one for this purchase. The card is usually in the bag, but it wasn't when we checked in the car. My daughter ran back inside to see if the card was where we checked out. The cashier, Nina, told my daughter that she would have to make another purchase to get a new rewards card when we had just made a purchase and didn't receive the card. I went back in to check if the card was at the register. Nina told me my daughter was "just in here." Nina said that she gave my daughter the card at checkout and that she can't just give out more rewards cards. I wasn't asking for another card I was asking for the one that I was supposed to receive, but didn't. Nina told me she gave it to my daughter and told me to check my bag because maybe it was there. I asked her why she didn't give it to me, but gave it to my child. She didn't respond! My daughter did not receive her rewards card and It wasn't in the bag. Nina wouldn't accept my cash, didn't give us our rewards card and treated us like trash. Sadly, she was rude to us. It felt like we weren't good enough to shop in the store. Yep, my hair is messy and I'm tired but my daughter is sick and I just wanted her to have something special. Sad way to marginalize good customers.

It's Halloween, baby! Before kids depleting my candy supplies, I better get my saccharide fix and would do so by visiting a local business. "Amy's Candy Bar," a block north of CTA Damen Brown Line station, provided me sugar galore this afternoon. The store was quite tiny, but they didn't waste much space to merchandise all of the yumminess I saw. They sell hand-crafted caramels, nougat, chocolates, and turtles. Of course, different types of gummy bears, licorice, nostalgic candy are available. Most items are sold by weight, with quarter pound as the smallest unit that one can purchase. I literally could have gone nuts because I wanted to try them all. However, I grabbed a 1/4-lb. licorice (for hubby), pimento white chocolate balls, sea salt caramel bars, and some powder-covered gummy bears. All of them cost me $15 and some change. Wow, the sea salt bars were über delicious. Don't forget to make yourself a cup of coffee to go with them! Or head to the coffeeshop next door to buy some instantly. ACB also serves Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream. Altogether it was an impressive candy boutique in Lincoln Square/Ravenswood. I highly recommend you to stop in if you're in the area.

Cute, quaint little spot. Walked almost 5 miles ( there and back) to Amy's with my three kids for an afternoon treat. Worth the walk. 2 of my kids had delicious cookie dough ice cream in chocolate covered waffle cones with sprinkles ( indulgent but they earned it) and another enjoyed red liquorish dogs and gummy coke bottles. We are still in the midst of covid-19 so I very much appreciated all the candy options individually wrapped in little bags and the policy of only one family in the store at a time. Everything felt very low risk and it was the perfect spot for a treat. Will return!

Very cute candy shop with a wide selection of chocolates and sweet treats. I also appreciated the fact that they had my favorite crunchie bar (which is a chocolate bar from the UK). I discovered Amy's Candy Bar because I was looking for a local place that served ice cream. I got a scoop of the cookie dough and it was delicious. Perfect treat on a summer's day!

It's a good thing I moved out of the neighborhood before Amy's Candy Bar opened up or I'd be there all the time. Can a candy store be beautiful? Yes, it can because Amy's is gorge. The way they display those colorful gummies and luscious chocolates caused me to spend $25 on treats at my last visit. Nicely executed, Amy's! It's a huge plus that one can sample anything in the store before buying. There may be some exclusions to that, but all four of us sampled a sweet before making our purchases, and they didn't act as though we were being excessive in our sampling. I love the retro candies like gum cigars and Razzles (my personal childhood fave). But be sure not to miss out on the chocolate choices. The coconut and dark chocolate haystacks are AMAZING! Service was very friendly, too. If you want to feel like a kid in a candy shop, head on in to Amy's!

Great selection of goodies, treats, and gifts if you have a sweet tooth and staff is always helpful and friendly. I love their homemade ice cream sandwiches, chocolate covered orange peels, and chocolate turtle candies.

Amy's is a treat! I stopped by today to see if they had any more champagne gummies in stock as they are the perfect gift for a recently married friend. Unfortunately, they were sold out, but the woman on staff was super helpful and found me another option. I left with a bag of pretty prosecco gummies, and she even added a cute label on the back at my request. This is a great neighborhood gem, and I love how they are consistently adding new treats. I will be back soon for some ice cream :)

Adorable candy shop in Ravenswood by the brown line el stop. I met Amy and her staff. They're happy and enthusiastic about their treats. Enjoy some samples. They have ice cream sandwiches. And candies of so many kinds. Lots of imported chocolates. I selected German and Italian chocolates. Great selection.

Thanks to Mason, who - helped and eagerly gave me a tour (of all the goodies) after my choosing of ice cream and a blondie - made my experience a blast! THIS SH%# JUST GOT REAL ice cream $3+ - caramel, chocolate chips, et al - so good! BLONDIE $2+ - also very good and huge portion They have imported sweets from all over the world - tons of rum chocolates/Malts, assorted rock chocolates (my fave), German gummies, 'childhood' candies, etc. Get your Amy's card stamped each time you purchase, to unlock a free treat after 10 punch holes. Recommend. Will be back!!

I worked with the owner herself, Amy, for a corporate event, where we had a red/white color candy bar that was self-serve. I sent her a logo and she printed the labels and put them on cellophane bags. She also made a fantastic recommendation for candies to choose from, and provided quotes in a very timely manner. On the day of the event, she showed up with everything for the candy bar - a tablecloth, various jars of different designs/sizes, the candy (of course), and also custom-made decorations (including flags with the company logos on it). It looked fantastic, and most importantly, everyone enjoyed and commented about how fresh and delicious the candy was. Many of the candy choices were ordered, but there were a few items that were hand-made (e.g. chocolate-dipped pretzel rods, homemade marshmallows) that reached levels of deliciousness I never imagined. I could not say better things about my experience with Amy's Candy Bar and Amy herself. Would recommend in a heartbeat.

The peanut butter chocolate balls are to die for. The lavender honey caramels are heavenly. The licorice caramels are dreamy. I could go on but you really need to experience these treats yourself.

I'm with my best friend when we came here. We stopped here because she wanted to buy her daughters different kinds of chocolate and candies. She said that it's her present for her daughter for having a top student in their online class. What a smart girl. I wish I had a kid but nah not this year since I'm too busy at my work haha. So while she is choosing chocolate and candies I'll roam around and look at their products. I also bought a pack of different candies and chocolates since it looks sweet and yummy. I am a fan of sweets. I also bought a pack of gummies and marshmallows. It's better to eat while I'm working or watching some dramas. The staff is also nice and friendly where he recommends some candies to try on. So I added it to my purchase and paid for it at their counter.

I have a sweet tooth that I deny for the most part, when I fall off the wagon this place is usually where I end up. Amazing licorice, Swedish fish, taffy apples, ice cream, and a selection of those old school favourites I remember from childhood. Sweet staff and a helpful attitude.

Oh how I love this place. Definitely a neighborhood treasure and picking out candy never is not fun! All of the candy is in jars and they have small and large packages or you can have them fill whatever you need. There is almost anything you'd ever want, plus a great selection of throwback candy. I stopped in most recently to grab an ice cream treat. I chose one of the malts, Amy's Indulgence, and WOW. What a great. This place is a MUST visit, you won't be disappointed.

wife needed 2lbs of chunk milk chocolate.once again no problem for Amy.traveled from 20 miles away knowing order was ready.it is nice to know that there are still pleasant people to deal with.would always recommend this candy store

I can tell you without reservation that the candy bar innovation known as the OMG BAR is the best. Try one, you will no doubt agree. These are simply the best. I have also tried the cashew turtles which are also to die for.

Everything at Amy's is so good. I'm a bit of a rough critic when it comes to candy shop because most days I'd rather have chocolate anything over non-chocolate candies. Part of the reason I love Amy's is due to them having many deliciously decadent cocoa treats. It's a bit pricey for lil' ol' me but I have tried a few of their delicacies - dark chocolate sea salt caramels, chocolate peanut butter candies, brownies...a few others. All were quite good and made my mouth water. There were two options for sizing coming in either an extra small or small cute bag. The pre-made bags sit out on shelves but any that aren't sitting out you can ask for and they'll gladly put a bag together for you.

Surprised my daughter with a trip to this wonderful shop.... the little one was blown away! The young woman behind the counter was very helpful, kind and genuinely friendly... I had previously been here a few years back, and had the same experience.

I love this candy shop! The employees are always kind and ask if you have questions or want samples, which is nice. There is so many options that it is hard to decide. So far I've gotten the malted milk balls and chocolate covered caramels. Both of them are delicious! The chocolate is melt in your mouth good. On the way home I couldn't stop myself from opening the bag and eating some. The atmosphere is also very cute. I like the color scheme and the lighting is really great. The packaging is also simple, but effective. I'm glad I have this place in my neighborhood!

I stopped in over the holidays when I was having a chocolate attack. Yeah, go figure -- how could that happen over the holidays, right? But I was wanting something really good and rich and decadent. I bought a single milk chocolate turtle. At first, I had some sticker shock, because I paid $4.13 for one turtle. Just one. Then I bit into it. You know what? That thing was big enough to feed three people. Not that I shared it with anyone! I ate all of it. All. of. it. It was so filling, I skipped dinner. If you think of it that way, I paid $4.13 for dinner, and I enjoyed every morsel. That is the definition of a "good buy." One sample of real chocolate goodness is more satisfying than a 6-pack of Hershey's bars. Boycott supermarket chocolate. Get the real thing. Go to Amy's. In the end, you'll increase your happiness and save money. Who can resist a deal like that? Certainly not me.

Such a fun store! They have a fabulous selection of gummies, licorice, ice creams, and chocolates. They even had my favorite thing in the world, chocolate covered honeycomb candy! I also picked up 2 OMG bars. They just looked too good to just get one. The OMG bars are salted Caramel, hazelnut praline and chocolate ganache covered in dark chocolate. All of my favorite things! The lady working there was also very helpful as me and my mother wanted to pick up some candy making supplies which they have in the back if you ask. She really went out of her way to find the supplies we were looking for. We had just taken a candy making class at the French Pastry School and were referred to ACB by them. Anyways, I highly recommend this store. Check it out if you are in the area and looking for a delicious sweet treat :)

This place was a true delight! My friend and I wandered in, not sure what to expect! Amy, the owner, was very helpful and offered us many tasty free samples. I ended up purchasing quite a few items, but my favorites by far were the sea salt caramels covered in chocolate, and the chocolate covered orange peels. Both were so very rich and sweet and tasty. I would definitely come here for gifts, and intend to do some christmas shopping here, since it is the epitome of an exemplary local business that deserves community support and loyalty.

This place is oh, so heavenly! The divine scent of freshly baked chocolate pecan turtles entices your senses before you even set foot in the store. As soon as I walked into the building I somehow transformed into my 6 year old self. Oohing and ahhing at all of the goodies around me. I want this. No, I want that. I think my friend thought I was losing my mind. Yes, it was that deep. It was heaven on earth to a sugar junkie like me. I had the pleasure of visiting during Valentine's Day weekend. It was a busy day. This place is not very large, so I had to carefully maneuver through the place. They had a cute display of Valentine's treats in the middle of the store. They had a fun assortment of yummy items such as Cupid corn, sour pucker lips, sour gummy bears, traditional gummy bears, gummy cherry hearts, chocolate covered cherries, chocolate malted balls, and so much more. It was so hard to make a choice, but the somewhat high price tag helped me to limit by choices. I decided on sour gummy strips, sour pucker lips, gummy bears, and I could resist picking up two freshly baked dark chocolate turtles. In my Uncle Jessie voice - Have Meerrrrcccyyyyy! Next time you are in Chi town venture out of down town a bit and check this spot out. Your inner child will love you for it!!

Friendly people. Mouth-watering chocolates, the best of which are made on site. If I lived nearby, I would consider Amy's dangerous.

What are you doing with your life? Put that Hershey bar down and get to Amy's. It's basically the candy store of your dreams. Shelves and shelves of candy in beautiful glass containers, the scent of butter and caramel filling the air as Amy crafts the caramels that will ruin all other caramels for you (They are so good). Along with caramels and sweet homemade creations, Amy has also managed to curate a collection of fun candies from the past. Take your mom or dad here and listen for them to exclaim "Oh I used to get these when I was a kid!" In the summer, Amy has delicious ice cream to choose from and in the fall she sells caramel apples covered in her homemade caramel. So good. And Take your kids, your friends, your inner child to Amy's and leave with a smile on your face.

I only visit about 2-3 times per year, but I always buy a ton of candy at each time. Good thing I share! From my last visit: Assorted malt balls: meh Milk chocolate covered pretzel rods with peppermint: pretzels were stale. Wouldn't purchase again Koval whiskey and bourbon chocolates: sooo good! Peanut butter balls: great! Dark chocolate coconut flakes: delicious! Higher quality than Candyality and more affordable than Dylan's. P.S. Make sure you try their vanilla bean marshmallows!

Such a huge variety of candy and chocolates, made it really hard to decide what to get. I highly recommend the mixed dark and milk chocolate sea salt caramels. Make sure you get a big bag, because the little bag is going to barely make it out of the store. Such a cute place and friendly staff.

This place, and the people who run it, are absolutely amazing. From the moment you step in you are greeted by colors beyond compare all around you! And then you're greeted by a very sweet (no pun intended) smile on a very darling person who offers you a VERY DELICIOUS sample of something I may have gotten 3 bags of. Also try the prosecco cordials. You're welcome.

Absolutely adorable shop, full of yummy stuff! May seem a bit pricey, but the prices are really reasonable for a small, independent business. The woman working there (the owner?) was very friendly, and open to sampling. Metered parking on Damen, permit parking in the neighborhood.

Love this cute boutique sweet shop in Ravenswood! From the melt-in-your mouth caramels (the passion fruit mango flavor is mind-blowing) to the salted caramel chocolate brownies to the amazing selection of unique international chocolates and novelty candies (Runts, anyone?), this place has it all. Yes, it's pricey, but you get what you pay for and you will quite possibly die from happiness after eating these yummy treats. (But what a way to go!)

Oh my. This place is like a sugary black hole. I am weirdly obsessed with gourmet malt balls. I won't eat a whopper to save my life, but a REAL malt ball is my jam. (Word to the wise- if you're ever in a suite at the United Center, and the dessert cart comes around- skip the cookies and brownies and go straight for the bag of malt balls. You're welcome.) So when I googled "chicago malt balls" I think that's how I found Amy's. And yes, I am that weird. I drove over a half hour in rush hour traffic in search of fancy malt balls and I was not disappointed. Malt balls aside, this is a small shop FULL of sweets. Tons of chocolate and chocolate covered stuff, lots of gummies, lots of imported chocolate and nostalgic candies (candy buttons FTW!). They also have bomb salted caramels and delicious nougat. I was helped by a SUPER friendly staffer who offered to let me try whatever I wanted which was so nice. In addition to buying 3 kinds of malt balls (I don't know why you're surprised, I already told you how I feel about them), I found the most delicious thing- lemon white chocolate covered marzipan. So good, in fact, that I ate most of the bag I bought on the way home from the store. Oops! Just means I have to go back. Seriously those things are legit delicious and I would give them as a gift too. They seem just fancy enough :) I walked in for malt balls and let's just say I left with over $40 worth of chocolate and caramel and marzipan and homemade marshmallows and and and and I couldn't help myself. (My husband saw the bag of stuff I came home with, and raising an eyebrow, asked if I had robbed a candy store on my way home- but I was sharing with him so he can't really be annoyed... right honey?) They also have a punch card system, which if you're planning to visit more than once, you should get. I will probably fill mine up on trip #2 because that's how I roll. Or something. It's probably a good thing I don't live in the neighborhood. Heeeeyyyyy diabetes, I see you! But in all seriousness. Super cute shop. Friendly staff. Delicious eats (I also saw ice cream!). I am a new fan.

So after I went to Hazel and pouted about some cute tops being too small, I went to Amy's Candy Bar. Yeah, that's smart, right? This place can be inexpensive or expensive, depending on how you want to spend your money. I purchased a 1/2 lb bag of wine gummy candy, which really didn't taste like wine (but the novelty!); a 1/4 lb bag of chocolate covered caramels, and a 1/4 bag of champagne gummy candy. The champagne gummies are so good! I don't know that they really taste like champagne, but I did eat some while drinking some sparkling white wine and enjoyed them. The variety of gummies is kind of ridiculous. I was tempted by the licorice beagles (I can't believe this is a thing) and then the licorice cats, but I don't like licorice THAT much...if you've still got room for more, there are gummy octopus, bears, giant bears, dinosaurs, etc. Lots of chocolate too including chocolate covered nuts, caramels, raisins, and peanut butter varieties. I spent about $13. Most of the 1/4 lb bags were around $3. The 1/4 lb bags are small, obviously, but they're the perfect size if you want to try multiple items. Some of the candy wasn't worth the pricetag, because it's stuff you can find anywhere (sixlets, gum balls), but to try something new and unique it's worth paying a bit more.

Amy makes the best brownies I've ever tasted! Try the candy she makes in house . The omg bar will make you say OMG after every bite. Great neighborhood shop!

If I had a choice between gummy bears and say chocolate covered raisins, the chocolate covered raisins would always win. But if it's Amy's Candy Bar gummy bears? Hmmmm, now the decision would be harder. And if it's Amy's Candy Bar gummy bears vs Amy's Candy Bar chocolate covered raisins? Well, just put both bags on the counter for purchase please. I will go nuts trying to choose between the two. What I'm trying to say is that Amy's Candy Bar candy is excellent. As soon as my sample watermelon gummy bear hit my tongue I instantly knew I wanted a small bag of those guys. The flavor was so vibrant and delicious. I love the different shapes the gummy's come in too. My son is kind of obsessed with sea life and he just about flipped over the cherry flavored gummy lobsters. And the strawberry flavored gummy pigs were quite the hit as well. And because chocolate should never be ignored, I also sampled (and purchased) chocolate coconut caramels and dark chocolate covered raisins. Both so well-made, the flavors rich and satisfying. The shop is just full of so many different kinds of treats and old-fashioned candy, and if candy is not enough, there's ice cream too! I love that they also offer a punch card so once you purchase enough bags (10 I think) then you get a 1/4 bag for free! 5 stars easily for this cute shop.

When Sweet Occasions closed, it was a sad, cloudy day in Ravenswood. I never had the chance to try their infamous ice cream from Madison, Wisconsin's Chocolate Shoppe. Thankfully, the time finally arrived once Amy's Candy Bar popped up. The minute you step in, Amy's is like a modern version of your favorite childhood corner store candy shop (my fine thoughts fly back to a long gone candy shop in small town Wadsworth, Illinois). Back to reality, the white walls become colorful thanks to the large apothecary jars holding a large variety of candy favorites: malt balls, chocolate-covered items, sweet and sour gummies, licorice, taffy, bit-o-honey and beyond. Everything and anything that can be smothered in chocolate you can find here: Rum balls, malt balls, gummy bears, orange peels, peanuts, raisins, and beyond. Although these jars catch your eye, fight the temptation and bite into Amy's confectionary melt-in-your-mouth sea-salt caramels (their specialty coming in plain--definitely not plain--raspberry and dark chocolate), nougats, or cookies. They'll give you a freebie caramel to get your taste-buds prepared. My all time favorite treat that has me going back week after week (yes, Amy said she loves regulars) are the Dark Chocolate Caramel Cashew Turtles ($4.25)! A diabetic's worst nightmare, and best friend. The salty, sweet, chewy, crunchy textures all collide in a heavenly experience. On a warm day, I opt in for the Chocolate Shoppe ice cream's cowtastic, udderly unbelievable flavors ranging from my favorites of Peanut Butter Cup to Espresso Almond Fudge--the flavors change occasionally ($2.75 one scoop and up). If you stop in, say "hi" to the friendly Amy who is usually working hard in back and say you saw Richie's review. I think she should aim high to get on a Food Network show, I haven't told her yet though. Featured in the Weekly Yelp Chicago "Yelp's Eye Candy" List on October 10, 2012: http://www.yelp.com/weekly?editorial_id=P2LQ-AtGmyVNkYZMHGl-pQ

Next time I see Amy, I'm going to give her a big ole hug. I'm an admitted candy head and Amy's is my drug of choice. It's the gummy jack pot...which is how I wish her gummy bears were sold. In a great, big, giant jack pot! I'm obsessed with the cherry gummy bears. OBSESSED, I TELL YOU! The pineapple gummy bears are super delicious. Excuse me while I wipe the drool from my lip... The malted milk balls at Amy's deserve their own review. They are truly fantastic. And this is coming from someone who doesn't really care for malted milk balls all that much. Whoppers? Blech. But Amy's balls (heh, couldn't resist) are ball-tastic. She has a variety of flavors too...classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate...MINT CHOCOLATE. They are the real deal. Amy's has other treats too, of course. Varieties of fruit sours, caramels, chocolate covered nuts, retro candy treats like candy cigarettes and dots. They also serve up some homemade ice cream here that I have yet to try but hear are wonderful. Oh and the nougat? Be sure to snag a free piece...it's somewhat life changing. Amy's offers free samples too. She also has a punch card which will allow you to collect on a free 1/4 lb. of candy for every 10 bags purchased or something. I've already cashed in on this and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I hope Amy doesn't have any personal space issues, because the next time I see her we are going to get close. #timetohugitout

Delightful addition to the neighborhood! Bright, cheerful, beautifully organized... Service is incredible - sampling is encouraged. I was going to pass, but felt morally obligated! Amy and all her helpers were even sweeter than the treats. Lots of wonderful candies in apothecary jars, homemade ones (by Amy) by the register, and wonderfully displayed hard-to-find faves (Cadbury Flake - be still my heart!)... Little mini-cupcakes are on a plate by the register. Best of all? Chocolate Shoppe ice cream!!! Ever since Sweet Occasions closed, I've longed for my fix. Well, the wait is over... Once word gets around, I expect business will be brisk, especially with the stroller set. Even if you don't live in the immediate neighborhood, Amy's Candy Bar is worth a hop off the Brown Line. Work off the sugar on Damen station stairs!