Some candy shops sell sweets. Shane Confectionery sells a delicious piece of Philadelphia history.
Tucked into Old City, this beloved shop has been making and selling candy at 110 Market Street since 1863.
More than 160 years later, its historic storefront still draws anyone with a serious sweet tooth and a soft spot for the past.
Step inside, and the old-fashioned charm hits fast.
Glass cases overflow with handmade chocolates, buttercreams, caramels, and colorful clear toy candy that looks almost too pretty to eat.
Shane isn’t just about grabbing a box of chocolates and heading home.
The shop keeps traditional candy-making alive, giving visitors a chance to see how classic sweets have been crafted across generations.
For candy lovers, history buffs, and anyone who loves a good dose of nostalgia, this Philadelphia stop is hard to resist.
A Philadelphia Candy Shop That Has Been Here Since 1863
Samuel Herring opened his confectionery at 110 Market Street back in 1863, right in the middle of the Civil War. That single location has remained dedicated to making and selling candy for over 160 years without interruption.
Very few businesses anywhere in America can claim such remarkable longevity at one address.
The building itself tells stories spanning three centuries of Philadelphia history. Visitors today walk through the same doorway where customers once bought penny candies during the Victorian era.
The shop’s continuous operation through wars, economic depressions, and dramatic changes in how Americans buy their treats makes it a living piece of culinary history.
This isn’t just about nostalgia or preserving old buildings. The shop remains a working confectionery where real candy production happens daily.
That combination of authentic historical atmosphere and active craftsmanship creates an experience you simply cannot replicate in modern candy stores or museums.
The Shane Name Arrived Decades After the Shop Opened
Here’s something surprising: the confectionery wasn’t always called Shane. Edward R.
Shane purchased the already-established business in 1910, nearly 50 years after Samuel Herring first opened it. When Shane took over, he completely transformed the storefront into the beautiful Victorian-style shop visitors admire today.
The Shane family didn’t just buy a building and stick their name on it. They poured their hearts into the business for 99 consecutive years, maintaining traditions while adapting to changing tastes.
Three generations of Shanes worked behind those marble counters, perfecting recipes and serving Philadelphia’s sweet tooth through world wars and the Great Depression.
Understanding this timeline helps visitors appreciate what they’re seeing. The shop represents layers of history: Herring’s original vision, the Shane family’s century-long stewardship, and now its current revival.
Each owner added something valuable while respecting what came before, creating a genuine historical treasure rather than just an old building.
Step Inside a Storefront That Looks Like Another Era
Push open the front door and prepare for visual overload in the best possible way. Elaborately carved woodwork frames curved glass display cases that seem to glow with candy treasures.
Intricate stained glass catches the light while white marble counters stretch elegantly across the space. An antique brass cash register still sits ready for business.
Every detail received careful attention during the shop’s restoration. The current owners didn’t guess at what a period candy shop should look like.
They researched historical photographs and preserved original elements wherever possible, ensuring authenticity in every corner.
Taking photos is practically mandatory here, but pausing to really look makes the visit more meaningful. Notice how the curved glass cases let customers view candies from multiple angles.
Observe the height of the counters, designed for an era before self-service shopping. These weren’t random design choices but carefully planned features that made Victorian-era shopping special and personal.
Traditional Candy-Making Is Still Part of the Experience
Modern candy shops mostly sell factory-made sweets shipped from distant warehouses. Shane takes a completely different approach by maintaining an active production kitchen right on the premises.
Skilled confectioners prepare small batches using techniques their great-grandparents would recognize immediately.
The shop’s famous buttercreams follow a Shane family recipe dating back roughly 100 years. Making these delicate candies requires precise temperature control, careful timing, and considerable skill.
Machines can’t replicate the texture that comes from traditional hand methods. Some of the equipment used today has been mixing, melting, and molding candy for decades.
Watching candy being made transforms the shopping experience from simple purchasing into educational entertainment. The aromas of cooking sugar, melting chocolate, and various flavorings fill the air.
When you bite into a buttercream or chocolate truffle, you’re tasting something made by real craftspeople using proven historical methods, not mass-produced in some distant factory.
Look for Pennsylvania Clear Toy Candy
Pennsylvania Dutch clear toy candy represents one of America’s most distinctive regional confectionery traditions. Shane has become particularly famous for producing these unusual sweets using authentic old molds.
Confectioners pour hot, colored molten sugar into detailed metal forms, creating small transparent sculptures you can actually eat.
The shapes range from animals and trains to flowers and holiday figures. Light passes right through the candy, making each piece glow like edible stained glass.
Children especially love these because they look almost too pretty to eat, though most eventually give in to temptation.
This isn’t candy you’ll find at typical stores. The time-consuming production process and specialized equipment mean few confectioners still make clear toys.
Shane’s commitment to preserving this Pennsylvania tradition gives visitors access to authentic regional culture through taste. Buy some as gifts or souvenirs, and you’ll introduce friends to a sweet bit of local history they probably never knew existed.
Buttercreams and Chocolate Carry on the Shane Tradition
Chocolate lovers will find serious satisfaction at Shane. Beyond maintaining those century-old buttercream recipes, the shop produces its own chocolate starting with responsibly sourced cacao beans.
This bean-to-bar approach gives confectioners complete control over flavor, texture, and quality.
The selection spans classic milk chocolate to intense dark varieties. Handmade caramels achieve that perfect balance between chewy and creamy.
Chocolate bars come in creative flavor combinations. Truffles showcase seasonal ingredients and traditional favorites alike.
Each chocolate reveals the difference between mass-produced candy and carefully crafted confections.
Those famous Shane buttercreams deserve special attention. The family guarded their recipe for generations, and biting into one explains why.
The texture melts smoothly without graininess or waxiness. Flavors taste genuine rather than artificial.
These aren’t the cheap supermarket cream candies sold in heart-shaped boxes. They’re genuine confectionery art with a proven pedigree stretching back through decades of Philadelphia candy-making excellence.
The Candy Selection Mixes Old-School Favorites With New Creations
Shane proves that honoring tradition doesn’t mean getting stuck in the past. Alongside throwback treats like Turkish Taffy, jaw-breaking hard candies, and old-fashioned candy cobblestones, the shelves showcase contemporary artisan creations.
Inventive chocolate bars feature unexpected flavor pairings. Pâte de fruit jellies offer sophisticated fruit flavors.
Handmade peanut butter cups rival any national brand.
The chocolate terrapins particularly delight first-time visitors. These turtle-shaped candies combine caramel, pecans, and chocolate in a regional specialty with roots in Baltimore and Philadelphia confectionery history.
Modern versions sometimes add creative twists to the classic formula.
This balanced approach attracts multiple generations of candy lovers. Grandparents can share childhood favorites with grandchildren while everyone discovers new treats together.
You might arrive seeking nostalgic penny candies but leave with cutting-edge artisan chocolates too. The shop understands that great candy doesn’t need to be either traditional or innovative.
The best confectioners excel at both approaches simultaneously.
The Shop Nearly Became a Memory Before Its Restoration
By 2010, Shane Confectionery faced an uncertain future after the Shane family finally sold the business. The building needed extensive work, and many people doubted anyone would invest in saving an old-fashioned candy shop.
Brothers Ryan and Eric Berley saw potential where others saw problems.
The Berleys already operated the nearby Franklin Fountain ice cream parlor, giving them experience with historically themed food businesses. They purchased Shane and committed to a thorough restoration rather than a quick cosmetic makeover.
The project took time and considerable money, but they refused to cut corners.
When Shane reopened in 2011, Philadelphia gained back a treasure that nearly vanished. The Berleys didn’t just rescue a building.
They revived traditional candy-making techniques, restored historic architectural features, and created jobs for skilled confectioners. Their vision and hard work transformed what could have become luxury condos or a chain store into a functioning piece of living history that continues serving the community.
Plan Your Visit
Shane Confectionery operates at 110 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Call ahead at (215) 922-1048 if you have specific questions about products or large orders.
The shop currently opens seven days a week, though hours vary seasonally. Check shanecandies.com for current schedules before planning your trip.
The attached Chocolate Cafe serves hot chocolate, specialty drinks, and light treats in a cozy setting. During busy periods, the cafe may close up to 45 minutes before the main shop, so confirm times if the cafe specifically interests you.
Both spaces can get crowded on weekends and holidays.
For parking, look for nearby garages since street spots disappear quickly in Old City. SEPTA buses serve Market Street directly, and multiple subway stations sit within several blocks.
The shop occupies a historic building without modern accessibility modifications, which may challenge some visitors. Most people spend 20-30 minutes browsing and purchasing, though candy enthusiasts often linger longer admiring the craftsmanship and atmosphere.
