GIRARD, Ohio (WKBN) — A local woman is expanding her business. Selling T-shirts and candies, Sweet Memories Vintage Tees is growing.
During the Canfield Fair, Linda Barton’s business sold 1,000 shirts and raised $3,500 for Akron Children’s Hospital. Now, she’s ready to take the next step.
“I made this decision at the Canfield Fair: ‘I’m going to open a candy store’ — and here we are,” says Barton.
From hard candy and chocolate to suckers and even gum, Barton has expanded. There are walls and walls of candy. From nostalgic classics like Pez, Double Bubble and Tootsie Rolls to the latest TikTok trends, Barton says it best: “We have everything.”
There are also candy pipes, pumpkin seeds, taffy — even Razzles, the candy that turns into a gum. If you remember it from your childhood, you’ll probably find it here.
Barton has an idea of what’s going to be the most popular.
“It’s going to be a toss-up between the candy cigarettes and the Clark Bars,” she says.
But there’s certainly plenty of selection, even sodas.
For the people who will try anything — you can find kale candy, chocolate-dipped insects and cricket suckers.
Barton started Sweet Memories Vintage Tees three years ago, unveiling Youngstown-based ice cream company Good Humor T-shirts for the 100th anniversary. You can even have an ice cream bar at the store now.
On Friday, she’s unveiling new lines for Isly and Klondike. Barton wants you to walk in and notice the variety.
“The same thing goes for our T-shirt line. I want to have a variety, so when someone comes in, they could associate with something,” she says.
Sweet Memories Vintage Tees is the largest manufacturer of candy and ice cream apparel in Ohio — and more could be coming.
“I have a lot of room to grow, so we’ll see what I wake up at 3 o’clock in the morning with an idea, where I go with it,” Barton says.
The grand opening is happening from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at the shop’s location on Trumbull Avenue in Girard. Show up early and you may get one of the 500 free Good humor ice cream bars.
