Cole Market — Attraction in Colorado Springs

I now know where the phrase 'kid in a candy store' came from. I entered Cole's Chocolate and Popcorn, simply because of the amazing aroma of popcorn and sweets that wafted outside the store. The more aisles I explored, the more I started grinning like a school girl! Handmade treats, nostalgic candies, unique sodas, and of course - tons of flavors of house-made popcorn fill the store.  Cole's Chocolate and Popcorn specializes in unique gifts too. The very friendly staff put together a few gift baskets for me right there on the spot. I was surprised, as I expected to have to place an order for later pick up, but the staff let me know that they can accommodate small orders right there on the spot. Of course, if you need more than 3 gift baskets, they would appreciate the courtesy of an advance order.  In addition to the preselected gift basket options, I was allowed the opportunity to search the store for additional items to customize the gift basket. Finished with cellophane wrap and ribbon, they turned out so darn cute!  I am back at home enjoying a trio of Cole's most popular popcorn flavors: Spicy Buffalo & Ranch, Extra Buttery, and Salted Caramel. There is no doubt why these flavors are popular - they are so good! I noticed a sweet sticker under the canister lid that says there is a discount if we come back with our refillable lid. It's a good thing they let me know, as I will...

MY RATING IS ACTUALLY ZERO STARS.

IT'S I USED TO LOVE THIS PLACE. My family went there and we purchased about $10.00 worth of the self-serve Jelly Belly jelly beans. Four out of the six flavors we got were SO OLD! They were HARD and TASTED BAD (like they were at least a year past an expiration date). I called and was very polite, telling them the situation. The lady who called me back, who I assume is the owner, didn't even know how long they had been in there! She didn't even offer to give me my money back! Who wants to buy old, hard, gross tasting jelly beans?! She said she would call me back, but never did.

I WON'T EVER GO BACK AGAIN.

It's SO UNPROFESSIONAL to not call customers back when you say you will. It's also unprofessional to NOT KNOW HOW LONG AN ITEM HAS BEEN ON THE SHELF AND STILL SELL IT TO PEOPLE!

If you do decide to go to this store keep in mind that:

They don't keep track of expiration dates. They won't give you a refund on old candy. Poor...

Been to this place two different times over 1 full year. Both times, I was very impressed. The selection seems endless on pretty much any candy you can think of. Same with their fudge and popcorn, made in house! The fudge is my fave. The tiger butter, Dark chocolate salted caramel, pumpkin cheesecake, and death by chocolate are FANTASTIC! Not TOO sweet, but definitely sweet and you get the picture. The squares seem like they might be 'too small' but you don't need to take a huge hunk to experience the awesomeness. Smaller bites to be savored more than shoving in your face hole. The caramel apples are really good too! Wish the paper didn't take off half of the coating when I took it out of the box, though. Love to visit this place and will always make it a regular stop on my adventures through...