Old Port Candy Co — Local services in Portland

I was genuinely excited to visit Old Port Candy Co. during my trip to Portland, Maine, and I have to say, the selection of candy was fantastic. However, I was left deeply disappointed by the behavior of the staff, which overshadowed what could have been a positive experience.

Earlier this afternoon, my family and I entered the store as part of our day trip, and shortly behind us, a woman came in with a service dog. Upon entering, the staff immediately informed her that dogs weren’t allowed in the store. The woman kindly explained that her animal was a service dog, and that it was legally permitted to accompany her into public spaces. Despite this, the staff seemed unsatisfied with the explanation and asked if the dog was wearing a vest.

It’s important to note that, legally, service animals are not required to wear a vest or other identifying gear, and this question is both unnecessary and inappropriate. As someone with an invisible disability and a background in health communications and advocacy, I found this line of questioning to be deeply troubling. The woman explained that it was too hot for the dog to wear the vest, but went out of her way to retrieve it from her car and show it to the staff. This act of accommodation was entirely voluntary, as she was not legally required to prove anything. Still, the staff continued to press the issue, which felt both invasive and discriminatory.

But what happened next was even more egregious. The staff then proceeded to ask, “Why do you need the service animal?” This question was not only rude and unprofessional, but it was also a violation of the law. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses are not permitted to ask individuals about the nature of their disability or why they need a service animal. The mere presence of a service animal should be enough, and the fact that the staff felt entitled to ask such a personal question was completely unacceptable.

As someone who cares deeply about accessibility and rights for all, I found this interaction to be both shocking and disheartening. It’s clear that the staff lacked proper training on how to handle situations involving service animals, and more importantly, they demonstrated a disregard for basic respect and empathy.

Given this experience, I will be making a point to avoid Old Port Candy Co. on any future trips to Maine. I can’t support a business that treats people with disabilities in such a discriminatory manner. It’s unfortunate, because the candy was great, but the way we were treated will prevent me...

The staff here are always really nice and helpful, even during the busy holiday season. There’s a pretty great selection of British/non-US candy by the door, which is a treat if you don’t feel like risking melting/breakage with an Amazon order. The bag candy has an even bigger selection, with a lot of gummies I’ve never seen before. And let me not forget to mention the fudge. So much fudge! My only reservation is the price range. It runs a bit high for what it is, but I think a lot of what you’re paying for is the location and experience of a candy shop. It feels like being a kid again, which is exactly the sort of feeling you should get from...

Cute and quaint candy shop located in prime real estate on the main stretch of downtown portland. Lots to choose from, whatever candy style you are on to it's here. My preference is soft sour, gummy type candies and they had a nice spread. In particular, I have to point out the sour apple (see pic). Never seen it before and it's just over the top sour goodness with intense apple flavor!

If you're in the mood for sweet candy, definitely worth stopping in. Very pricey though $4.25 a 1/4 pound. Had what we thought was a relatively small bag of candy and came in...