Reviewing Canonsburg's Newest Shoppes
Canonsburg Cake Company
Carly and I elected to take a trip down memory lane and visit the new shops everyone has been raving about in downtown Canonsburg. When we arrived, it was a cold and cloudy day, but people and cars were bustling up and down the main street. We parked by Malone Flower Shop, and there was only one parking spot available. Thankfully, before we paid the meter $1.00 for four hours of parking, a good Samaritan stopped us and let us know we didn’t have to pay for parking on the weekends- this is good information to know.
Our first stop, Canonsburg Cake Company. I personally had not heard much about this bakery. I did notice that ‘Special Occasions’’ was next door, and my mother was very excited to hear this information. Upon entering, we were greeted by two of the warmest smiles Canonsburg has to offer. Carly and I both ordered half a dozen cupcakes each- for our families of course. They had a very large selection of cupcakes, and I was personally overwhelmed and both compelled to try them all. A couple of the flavors I had selected were the ‘Peanut Butter Cup’ and the ‘Buckeye’; both voiced as a 10/10 by my mom.
The bakery was absolutely gorgeous, and their brand logo is very satisfying. The man working the counter behind the cupcakes was very sweet and humorous with us during our visit. I took a business card, so that I would be able to find their social media and support this as well. This bakery is a much-needed addition to Canonsburg, and I wish them all of the greatest success. Canonsburg Cake Company also does custom orders and cakes, which can all be located on their social media. I look forward to visiting this adorable little bakery again during my different stays in town. I highly recommend visiting during the holiday season, as their current flavors are an absolute necessity, but I won’t spoil them all here.
Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop
After haphazardly crossing the street at the intersection, we came across Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop. This enormous candy shop was enough to make me, a 25-year-old, beyond excited to enter. The signs are very playful and colorful and such a fresh attraction to the center of town.
Carly and I could barely contain our excitement, as we did indeed feel like ‘kids in a candy store’. The inside of the shop is very colorful and there is an unimaginable amount of candy and merchandise. Formerly a bank, the candy shop, coincidentally, has a “vault” near the rear of the shop. The shop was not busy during this time in the morning, and this gave us all the more reason to further explore.
This shop contained everything from games, boardgames, movie merchandise, personalized mugs, cups, and tumblers, to live African dwarf frogs. Yes- this shop is currently selling the most adorable African dwarf frogs.
I came into this shop with one singular question formed in my head. “Does this shop have ‘Harry Potter’ Candy?” The answer: absolutely. This shop not only provided candy from the film series, but also carried a large variety of games, board games, playing cards, and ‘Wizarding World’ exclusive collectible merchandise. I may or may not have purchased 15 chocolate frogs from this selection, as I found the price was half of what it would normally be at a commercial store.
Along the wall, lined the wall of sodas. This wall contains an overwhelming assortment of cream soda, ginger beer, and old fashion sodas; in every flavor you could possibly imagine or not want to imagine. It’s truly remarkable to see the variety and selections of soda along this wall in person. It is extremely difficult to obtain such a unique collection of all different brands and flavors, but Grandpa Joe’s made it possible. I tried the blue raspberry flavored soda (my favorite flavor), and it immediately made me want to try all of the other flavors as well.
At the front of the shop, there is a selection of desserts such as tiny cakes, tiny donuts, fudge, and other chocolate-covered sweets to choose from. This shop also contains a plethora of merchandise that caters to everyone’s individual interests and preferences. This shop was welcoming and fun to experience, and likely to soothe any sweet-tooth’s dreams.
Well Oiled
Carly and I realized we were over-encumbered by our recent outburst in purchases and decided to regroup at the car. The rain slowly began to pick up as we made our way to the last shop on our list, Well Oiled. We continued down the sidewalk and crossed the intersection with much more grace. We entered the shop and were immediately greeted warmly by the staff. This magical store contained every holistic need that was desired. This store contained crystals, crystal balls, oils, sage, incense, essential oils, cards, jewelry, and fresh herbs.
Making our way around the store, I was assisted in packing up some of the herbs I had needed on my list. There was a heavy staff presence, which made it a little uncomfortable in the beginning. In the end, I was able to obtain fresh calendula, rose petals, Valerian root, and dried orange slices.
We spent the most time in this shop, because there were simply so many things to explore. Their selection of fresh herbs were very limited during the time of our visit, but I believe this selection will grow over time. The presentation of their crystals and jewelry were very appealing as well. The staff were very helpful and knowledgeable about their products. I, personally, have been looking forward to finding a holistic shop that sells fresh herbs. This is almost impossible to find in Nashville as well.
Canonsburg is making big changes and bringing downtown back to life. Throughout today’s journey, I became slightly emotional, remembering when there were hardly any shoppes to visit downtown- and to see the difference now. Canonsburg is such a beautiful and rich town; it’s truly beautiful to watch it come to life once again.