Photo by Erica Techo.
Marcy Miller opened Weezie’s Candy Emporium on Oxmoor Road in December 2015.
Candy is more than just a sweet treat — it’s happiness.
When Marcy Miller opened Weezie’s Candy Emporium, that was the message she wanted to send. “I just wanted to have a place that was going to be happy and create great feelings and celebration,” she said.
Before opening Weezie’s, Miller held several professional roles, including serving as executive director of the Homewood Chamber of Commerce and in director roles for Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama and at Birmingham-Southern College.
A candy shop was a way to apply her passion, Miller said.
“I just realized that I wanted to live my purpose, and my purpose was just to love and encourage children and make them love themselves no matter what they are and who they are and what they think they are, they’re just fine the way they are,” she said. “And that’s why I created this space — for kids to know they can come here to hang out.”
Miller chose to open a candy shop in Edgewood to help fill a gap in the Homewood market and to help bring back a few memories from SOHO Sweets, which closed a few years back.
“I think everyone in Homewood misses SOHO Sweets. We all loved that store,” she said. “My kids are now in high school and middle school, but we grew up with them in elementary school going to SOHO Sweets. I think there was a hole in Homewood when it closed down.”
Since opening shop in December 2015, Miller said community reactions have been positive. People from Homewood have been glad to see another candy shop in town, and people from outside the community compliment Miller on the variety of candy.
“It’s really cool to have people who are [in their] 60s or 70s, and they come in and see my retro candy,” Miller said. “That’s actually where I started my buying process.”
The shop carries Zotz and Razzles, both introduced in the 1960s, as well as a variety of candy by the pound. Rather than stick with basic sweets such as M&Ms or Sour Patch Kids — although both are available — Miller chose to branch out and also carries European candy such as Allsorts licorice and Winegums and a few organic candies and chocolates.
Reactions to the shop range depending on the customer’s age and personality, and she said she sees everything from kids excitedly running around and picking up anything they can get their hands on to the kids who will take their time looking through their options.
“Then you have the kid who walks in and it looks like their eyes are about to pop out because they’re so overwhelmed,” Miller said.
The best compliments, however, go back to Miller’s core objective — bringing a reason to celebrate into the neighborhood.
“Probably the biggest compliment I’ve received is we were having a big birthday party in the back … and one of the granddads came in and was sitting in the front of the store with me,” Miller said, “and he was just looking around and complimenting me on the store. And he said, ‘You know? This place is just happy.’ And I said, ‘That’s the goal.’”
As the store grows, Miller said she hopes to build on what Weezie’s offers. Customers can buy individual candies, themed gift baskets and rent the birthday room for special occasions. There are plans to begin a monthly candy delivery service called Candy Gram and to offer candy care packages for kids at camp. Miller even plans to offer an alternative to cake at a few weddings.
“That’s one of the things we’re hoping to expand on,” she said. “I do have a wedding booked in October where we’re going to do a gummy bear bar. I’m hoping to really get into more of those big services where we go out and do events with cookies or cupcakes or candy, or any combination of what we have in the store.”
Weezie’s Candy Emporium
WHERE: 923 Oxmoor Road
HOURS: Monday and Thursday: noon-6 p.m.; Tuesday, Friday and
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.;
Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CALL: 703-8163
WEB: weeziescandy.com
