Five dollars a pound: Candy shop opens in downtown Maiden

Owner of 18 Main Sweets & Things Kelli Genaro poses next to a wall of containers filled with various candies for customers to scoop as they come through her shop in downtown Maiden.

Owner of 18 Main Sweets & Things Kelli Genaro poses next to her business sign.

18 Main Sweets & Things sells a variety of savory pies made by Pies and Sides, a business from Mount Holly.

18 Main Sweets & Things offers more than candy, including glass-bottled sodas that add to the general-store feel that Genaro said she wanted in her shop.

The left side of 18 Main Sweets & Things offers an abundance of sweet treats and barrels of candy. The right side of the shop offers home décor, jewelry and many other goodies.

Maiden resident Kelli Genaro said she has always wanted to open a candy store because it is a place that is consistently filled with smiles.

With her husband's family restaurant selling last April, Genaro said it was her turn to open a business. When a building at 18 West Main St. in Maiden went up for sale, Genaro jumped on the opportunity to fulfill her dream in a downtown location.

18 Main Sweets & Things hosted its grand opening last week, finally accomplishing Genaro's long-time aspiration and bringing candy store smiles to downtown Maiden.

Rows of barrels, filled with both old-fashioned sweets like Tootsie Rolls and popular brands of candy such as Smarties and Jolly Ranchers, line the original wood floors of her new store. Containers of self-serve candies are also available to customers for $5 per pound, featuring licorice, sour candies and chocolate-covered espresso beans — Genaro's personal favorite.

The store also sells an array of glass-bottled drinks, North Carolina-themed décor and toys.

"Everybody's told me there's nothing else like it, and so far, everybody has commented on how much the kids love it," she said.

In August 2022, Genaro and her husband purchased the building, but renovating took longer than expected due to numerous setbacks. The challenges included tearing down walls and a lengthy cleanup. The hardwood flooring was the only thing inside the store that remained the same.

"We touched every single part of this building," she said.

Then, after almost a year of remodeling, Genaro's candy and convenience store was finally ready for business.

On opening day, Genaro said she loved to see families come in together, pick out candy and have fun. As a mother of three, she said creating an environment where families can spend time together is important to her.

18 Main Sweets & Things partners with Pies & Sides in Mount Holly to sell homemade savory pies with prices ranging from $9.99 for individual portions, $24.99 for a family size and $28.99 for a deep-dish pie. In addition to Pies & Sides, the candy store has a selection of homemade pure maple syrup from Smith Family Farms in New York for $14.99 per pint. Genaro said she is hoping to incorporate more local products in the future.

The candy store is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

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18 Main Sweets & Things Kelli Genaro talks about her favorite candy, which are the chocolate covered-espresso beans. Video by Madison Lipe…