Sweet Pete's Candy

My friend and I happened onto this fun candy store for an unexpected candy cane making class. It was $16 for an hour of family fun making peppermint candy cans and other shapes. “Mr. D” (Demetrius) was a delightful host and entertaining instructor in this unusual art. Plus Christmas time is when they pull out all the stops for decorations. Amazing big assortment of soft drinks in the ice cream parlor. Nice place for corporate events and the historic building is worth a look around.

What a wonderful local gem of a place! I was gifted this chocolate tour for two from my cousin and it did NOT disappoint. What a great treat to have brunch/lunch and take a stroll in downtown Jacksonville. Parked on a weekend so no toll costs, walked maybe a block on a warm sunny day to the building located on the corner. You can't miss the charming architecture and white house. With a front porch of good ole'days and the smell of sweets wafting towards you, one is transformed into being a child again. Your eyes will wonder and bounce around trying to figure out which way to go. You won't want to miss a single corner or floor. Yes, I saw an elevator near the stairs to the next levels. Take your time and look at all the wonderful sweets and old fashioned candies of an era gone by. Grab a basket for your purchases as you will be stronger than I if you make it out there without a purchase. From the delicious fudge, carmels, Big League Chews, licorish, jelly beans, chocolate covered malt balls, raisins and more! I loved the retro puzzles, the Pez candy and even the metal lunch boxes I used to have as a youth. Take your time and take a photo by the adorable decor for the season and add more memories to your photo album. The restaurant and soda ice cream shop is so charming, we will be back. I can't wait to ride our motorcycles up and grab a Sundae one afternoon. The food was spot on, fresh, service is friendly and helpful. Sit outside on the porch and feel the warmth of the sun and enjoy cool breezes if you so choose. My husband had the old fashioned root beer and he said it was pure and rich and legit! There is a level where you can step out above the kitchens and not only see the preparation of goodies, but get to smell the aromas wafting throughout. I really felt like I was in a scene in Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. Your going to love all the ceiling hanging decor, the variety of products for gifting or a treasure for yourself and the child in you. You can find stuffed animals, clothing, key chains, wall hanging nik-naks and souvenirs. There are checkout registers at the main level and second level. Staff is friendly and warm. I highly recommend everyone go visit, make a nice afternoon out of it and take out of town guests to when they come. I pray they stay around for many many more years to come!

What an amazing find! Definitely a store to visit if you are in the area! Kids and adults alike! Three amazing floors of candy and themed experiences. We went before Halloween and the decorations were amazing! Can imagine how lovely it would be around Christmas. Many choices and very friendly and accommodating staff. Samples available! There is a small restaurant that is cutely decorated as well. Dozens of choices of specialty pops in about any flavor you can think of (and many that you would never think of lol). You are able to watch candy making operations from a special vantage point if you are there during production hours (we sadly were not) and the smell was heavenly (candy apples had been made the day we were there). I will definitely be back if I am in the area again!

A must visit landmark if your downtown and have a few minutes to pop in and get a treat.

“IF” you can find a parking place.

This historic building built I believe in 1907 now houses a wonderful candy company/ restaurant/bar/desert destination.

Fun to walk in and scratch the sweet tooth itch you maybe did not know needing scratching.

This was the 2nd time I'd been to Sweet Pete's and taken the Chocolate Tour. Danny was our guide this day. He was very personable and knowledgeable. Really enjoyed the tour again. The decorations inside and out are quite eclectic and interesting. My daughter took all the pictures of us; I can only share a few of the decor. I am recommending your tour/store to anyone visiting the Jacksonville area.Thank you for sharing a little about the world of Sweet Pete's chocolate.
Sincerely,
Lorene, a very pleased & satisfied customer

I had the most amazing time at Sweet Pete’s Candy Shop. The chocolate tour was informative, easy to understand and very interactive. Perfect for couples date night or to bring kids to, and there were many young children enjoying the candy tour right alongside my fiancée and I💕 if you’re a chocolate lover or KNOW a chocolate lover, I couldn’t think of anything more perfect than this. This was such a sweet anniversary surprise, I can’t believe my boyfriend brought me here, it’s such a thoughtful gift!

We came with a field trip group and got to see how candy canes are made, and the kids got to make their own! The tour was fun too. The food in the diner was good. Service was pretty good as well, just one seating issue but we didn't let it ruin the good of the rest of the day.

Came here for happy hour (no alcohol, only half off on certainappetizers) with the kid. Bone in wings excluded from happy hour. Food was surprisingly tasty and the service was great, as always. Milkshakes were not in happy hour, but they were delicious too!

If you want a company outing or just solo, great candy place. We were treated to firsthand candy cane making and sampled a nice variety of all things candy. Would like to see maple nut goodies. Park and walk versus paid parking.

We went twice gummy making and chocolate bars . It’s a beautiful place great staff such fun for adults and kids ! Even met Pete great man! We are going back for a seasonal class ( Pete said his favorite is candy cane making ) sounds like a blast so it’s on our list this holiday season ! Thanks Pete and everyone there for making my family have a super sweet time !

This was our first time here. We did the chocolate bar my way experience. It was so much fun. We, also, had dinner at the restaurant and the food was GREAT! I was, especially, happy that the offered gluten free and dairy free options.

Family fun! Everyone enjoyed our visit to the candy store for the chocolate tasting and tour.

This was a fun stop. We did the chocolate tour for 2. Got to sample the different chocolates made here and some chocolate ice cream. We also got to pick a special chocolate bar made to our liking. We each picked a chocolate base (dark, milk chocolate, etc), and then three toppings. We saw them being made from the beginning to end. The tour is about 30 minutes. We used a Groupon and spent the savings in the store to buy souvenirs. The store is so fun to explore and lots of candy, gummies, sodas and of course chocolates. The staff was really nice and fun to chat with. Worth a stop.

bubbly. the atmosphere is bubbly and kid like. it's great. the food is amazing, never fails to make me happy .. went here 3 times, everytime the food is great and so is sweet petes

Sweet Pete’s is a wonderful place! We were greeted with a smile from the lady at the front desk. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and seemed to be so happy with his job. The candy store smelled so delicious. It really was like being in Wonka’s chocolate factory.
We ate a yummy lunch. The Christmas decorations were beautiful! If you visit you MUST try the salt water caramel candy. I really recommend that you try all of the 🍭 🍬 candy! I will be returning soon.

Omg! I lived in Jacksonville since 87. I owned a business in downtown from 2011-2018. I never been here. Shamefull. I know. I went here 11-12-22 and took my wife and kids. This place is amazing with the decorations, the smiling faces all around and the thrills of the tour! They even have a floor you can rent out for a birthday party! My wife took a ton of photos and video, but I only had a few on my phone. We will definitely be back soon for their events. Favorite new place to share with the family. Update 02-23-2024. Came as a chaperone for my kids field trip. Still a great place. Story time was bleak and most kids were not paying attention. This is VPK. Bartholomew and the Oobleck is probably not a book to go to. Or maybe condensing it. Just a thought. My kids missed lunch time because of the book and a few delays during their trip. It's still a great place to come.

We absolutely love Sweet Pete’s! Best candy/ice cream/soda, located in beautiful downtown Jacksonville. Stop in for some adult beverages and dinner. The staff are very friendly and helpful. A great time for the whole family. If you haven’t tried Sweet Pete’s yet? What are you waiting for! Wheelchair accessible and don’t forget to check out the lollipop making class.

The decorations are adorable, the candy is delicious (so is the food in the restaurant)…and the staff is friendly. Great for kids and adults.

A friend of mine invited me and my daughter to this place And wow!!! it's absolutely amazing!!. The food and drinks was delicious!!

Such a fun place to pop into when you have a sweet tooth craving. The only thing they're missing are edible walls, and flying soda!!!
I love all the Informative tidbits in the walls like, "chew gum till it loses all flavor to blow the largest bubbles".
A must get every time is the scraps bag, you just get so much good yummyness for a reasonable price. (Downstairs & to the right if you are looking).
Will so be returning for candy making classes.

Side note: Don't forget to sign up for Pete's perks before you go for points!!