MANDEVILLE, La. — A candy shop on the Northshore is getting national recognition.
The Candy Bank has been named one of the top-ten candy stores in the country by USA Today. It charted at number six.
"My husband and I were surprised. I got an email from USA Today saying that you're in the running. And at first, I thought, is that really us? And a couple of weeks went by. And next thing I know, it was all over Facebook," The Candy Bank owner Lisa Keiffer said.
The shop is in the historic St. Tammany Bank Building in Mandeville, and the Keiffers bought it in 2012. They were renting it out but decided to open a candy store.
They got the inspiration from yearly family trips they would take to North Carolina to visit a candy shop there and thought, why not open one at home.
"We did it real nostalgic, a throwback, a lot vintage, we have something for everyone. Everyone's welcome. We love it. It's just a good feel. You know, it's our creativity, and my husband, did a lot of the work. So it just was our dream," Keiffer said.
Keiffer says she has her family and customers to thank for making the list.
"The Candy Bank is nothing short of a sugar-filled wonderland. Boasting more candy than you could ever dream of, the shop carries a range of nostalgic treats as well as rows upon rows of self-serve glass jars filled with everything from gumballs to gummies," USA Today said in its rankings.
Since being placed in USA Today's top 10 the candy store has seen more customers come through the door.
"Every day it's been busy and packed. And I usually ask, 'why are you here? How'd you hear about us?' That's one of the questions we always ask, Keiffer said. And yesterday it was we heard about you because the USA Today and because you're one of the top 10s candy stores."
The Candy Bank is open Tuesday through Thursday from eleven a.m. to eight p.m., Friday through Saturday from eleven a.m. to nine p.m., and Sunday from noon to seven p.m.
The family is now working on converting the second and third floors of the 100-year-old building into a boutique hotel.
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