There's An Entire Candy Museum Coming To Ohio This Year That Promises To Be The Sweetest Day Trip Ever
By Sarah McCosham|Published January 19, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
Ohio is a pretty sweet place to live, and while the cool kids might not be using “sweet” to describe something super cool, today’s feature destination is, quite literally, sweet. Spangler Candy World is coming to the Buckeye State this year and with an expanded candy store, interactive displays, and tours, it promises to be, without a doubt, the sweetest day trip in Ohio.
Bryan, Ohio, is hailed as the Sweetest Town in America, as it's been home to a candy icon since 1906.
Back then, the company's founder Arthur G. Spangler, purchased the Gold Leaf Baking Company of Defiance, Ohio, for $450 and moved it to 204 W. High Street in Bryan.
The fledgling business was called Spangler Manufacturing Company, and it produced baking soda, baking powder, corn starch, laundry starch, spices, and flavorings. In 1908, Arthur's brother Ernest joined the company and had the sweet suggestion of adding candy to the factory's production line, a move that would ultimately cement the Ohio business as a bona fide American icon.
In 1913, the business moved to its present location on N. Portland Street in Bryan, Ohio, and by 1920, all products manufactured at Spangler would be candy, prompting the brothers to officially change the company's name.
Never a business to rest on its laurels, Spangler Candy Company has long pushed the boundaries of what candy can be. From introducing delicious flavors to its Dum-Dum lollipops...
The company is currently redesigning a water tower on the northwest side of Bryan to create a landmark attraction for the community. But this isn't the only new attraction the candy shop's cooking up.
In 2023, the candy company will transform into Spangler Candy World, a multi-sensory experience complete with an even larger store, interactive displays and activities, and a virtual theater tour.
