Oh Sugar
561 Johnson Street
Victoria, BC
778-440-9192

2016 Update: This operation is now under new ownership.

I could very well sing the praises of the traditional folk song “Oh Susanna” in place of Oh Sugar than The Archie’s “Sugar Sugar” once this candy store really takes off. This company’s logo certainly has me praising something.

According to Rick Goodman, who runs the shop with his wife Justyna, the more exotic and stranger the candy is, the more likely this operation will carry it. I had to ask Rick about Stay Puft Marshmallows and if he could special order it for crazy clients like me. Fans of Ghostbusters know what the fuss is all about; yes, these puffy delights are caffeinated!

I’m figuring when Halloween rolls around, boxes will be flying off the shelves not of their own accord, but because of folks like me who love a good marshmallow. I enjoy nibbling on soft rice crispy squares and having marshmallows in hot cocoa.

When James and I discovered this store last Sunday and purchased a few well-priced treats, they did not last long in one particular household. A few days later, I was back to more. Yes, there has been the odd reader who likes to point out the fact that James and I are overweight, and do we care?

Now if folks like to look for an exotic treat or are craving a candy from their homeland, I recommend Oh Sugar. They carry candy from 25 different countries, and the list will only grow as new discoveries of exotic candies come in. While what the store has on display is only as good as the shelf space, just maybe I will see a return of green tea chocolate flavoured Pocky. I first spotted them in Japan over ten years ago, and Fujiya on Shelbourne did carry them for a short time. I suspect that local interest was low and that particular item disappeared off shelves. Online, this product is still available. Now if it’ll only return….

Well, the supply is only as good as demand and I understand that. Sometimes, there is no accounting for what tastes are popular, especially when green tea suddenly became all the rage a decade ago. At least I did spot a Matcha flavoured fudge in this store that I will have to purchase next time.

Oh Sugar makes their own products and the fudge is a different style than what people will find. I tried their crispy chocolate, which was quite crunchy and delectably soft. They come in small jars with their own spoon, so there is an instant dessert on the go. In my next visit, I’ll have to buy a few, but in the meantime, I’m savouring the store’s own bon bons.

Although I found the bon bons somewhat tough on the first bite, once they melt in your mouth, the chewy interior is very savoury. I found the blueberry flavour very intense and the strawberry was very mild. I almost wanted to sing “Love Me Tender” to the latter flavour since it was that good. A single bag sells for $3.30, and it’s enough to share amongst friends so a fresh pouch can be picked up another day.

Another beauty about this store is that it deals with unique soda brands like The Pop Shoppe and Henry Weinhard’s to name a few.

But there’s more. They sell antiques and replicas too. A line of reproductions can go well for other operations looking to recreate that vintage vibe. When considering how this shop looks from the outside, visitors will not realize the fact that they’d be transported to another world. Yes, I have to insert the Harry Potter reference somewhere. James wants to reserve a box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans and Chocolate Frogs.

With an operation that aspires to be the west coast version of Honeydukes, I’m sure candy connoisseurs will no doubt flock here. With tourist season upon this fair city of Victoria, and the cruise ships docking here every few weeks, it’s good to know Oh Sugar carries that oh so elusive Mackintosh’s Toffee.

I’m glad to say this is one store that is in operation at nearly all hours of the day. Summer days are better than any other season because of the tourist season, and that’s a huge plus for those nights I have a sugar craving. Fortunately, I don’t get those. I get my rush when I’m out conducting a paranormal investigation.