Hansel & Gretel's Candy Co. — Local services in North Cowichan

It's an adorable little shop in Chemainus and if you're going anywhere in the town, at least try to go here! It's utterly adorable and beautifully decorated. It feels much like the shop's name, like you're stepping into the witch's house from Hansel and Gretel. If you've got kids they are absolutely going to be enchanted.

There's a wide variety of candy to pick from here, including some lovely chocolates/fudge that are brightly coloured. And yet oddly, though I've been meaning to try some of their beautiful little bars, it's the butterscotch cream soda that keeps me coming back (find it by the little fireplace to the left when you enter!). Perhaps like the butterbeer from Harry Potter, it's a dang fine drink. Rich and delicious and butterscotchy-caramely in a smooth, sugary soda (and for you adults out there, it's absolutely, devastatingly good when mixed with (luxardo?) amaretto. It goes down far too easily!!).

I have only two minor gripes with the place, because who doesn't like to complain? First of all, it can be expensive. Even the more common candies can put a hole in your wallet if you're not careful. But for the sheer variety of specialty treats, it's definitely worth coming for the occasional goodie. Second gripe, and a totally fair one to the owners, is that it tends to close a bit early. And by that, around 5:30 I think? But it seems to be a family owned store and people have lives, so I can't really hold that against them. I'll just have to make sure I get there on time more often :)

All in all, absolutely a place I would recommend if taking a trip...

Came to chemainus for the first Time and was so excited to come to this candy store. My cousin and I walked in w/ Our eight kids (between the two of us) and proceeded to be followed around by one of the shop keepers. Two six year olds from our group were talking to one of the decorations excitedly and the shopkeeper came up to them and proceeded to tell them that the decoration was $600 and if they broke it they would have no money for candy. She followed our kids around and proceeded to do this 3 more times. It was just an incredibly disappointing and jarring experience. A candy store? Really? After the fourth time of being followed and chastised, we corralled them out of there. We were two adults managing our kids and were very excited to spend money at this place of business. Very sad and disappointed this was...

Somewhere around here, there's a candy shop.

And what a candy shop!!!!

So much to choose from, even the salty liquorice from Holland.

What caught my eye was some Swiss chocolate shaped like cylinders and coated with different favours, like Cookies and Cream and Creamsicle and Rum and Butter. So many flavours. You could mix or match. You could also choose how many you wanted. I chose the biggest option, a pack of ten or was it more? I cannot remember now and I left the box in on the Island with family. My description sounds so clinical but they were delicious. After dinner, we sliced off bits and pieces and sampled many flavours. Delightful!

I guess everything is relative because I found the prices here...