Anthony-Thomas Candy Shoppes

Yes, I’ve lived in Columbus for 10 years and never had Anthony Thomas.
I had it all setup in my head: Old-​school candy shop that’s been around forever… this stuff is gonna be amazing… I just knew it.
Maybe I set the bar too high?
Don’t get me wrong — the shop is adorable, and the staff is very friendly. I just didn’t love the candy. It was good, but not great. I bought some peanut butter cups, sea salt caramels, and pecan clusters. Everything was totally fine, but just a bit one note. I wanted a piano, but I got a trumpet. Just a matter of opinion.
I’m sure if you grew up with Anthony Thomas, the nostalgia kicks in and it’s five stars all the way. I just don’t have any history here, so it doesn’t really do anything for me. I’m not giving up on this place though… maybe there’s something I haven’t tried yet that will totally rock my socks.

Growing up, Anthony Thomas was always «The candy store.» School candy sales, boxes for valentine’s day, special occasions, and of course buckeyes all ran through their doors. These days, there’s a lot more competition in Columbus, but sometimes you just want to go for nostalgia’s sake. (And besides — the buckeyes are still pretty decent!)
The Bexley location’s staff were very friendly and helpful when I stopped in, and it’s fun to walk down the cases of bulk and packaged candies to decide what will tickle your fancy.

My memories of Anthony-​Thomas Candy goes all the way back to those wonderful elementary school candy sales. The top sellers got to take a trip to the factory to see all the yumminess rolling off the lines. If we were lucky, the wonderful staff there would let us pretend we were in I Love Lucy stuffing our faces with chocolate fresh off the belt!
Fast forward to 2010. Each year my family hosts a Kentucky Derby party on our farm and of course you need party favors! The prize for ‘Last Place Horse’ NEEDED some chocolate accents and so off I went to the Anthony Thomas store to see if they had rose shaped chocolates. Yup. They did! I may have bought 2 packages. And already eaten one.
While Anthony Thomas is not the best chocolate I’ve ever had, it is locally made at their factory in Columbus (tours of the factory — including samples! — are free!) and you can find some really unique favors for gifts. As a former 4-​Her, I used to give the people who bought my projects an Anthony Thomas chocolate clover as a thank you gift. And when I represented Ohio in front of Congress, I took Anthony Thomas candy buckeyes along with me to pass out/​bribe to the committee members.
So if you’re looking for local, yummy, and unique chocolates, and you haven’t tried Anthony-​Thomas yet, go now!