Main Street Sweets Appeals To Tastes Of All Ages

BERLIN -- Tucked in neatly along the town’s main corridor, Main Street Sweets in Berlin completes a picture that would be at home in any work by Norman Rockwell, but the inside of the store blends everything from the classics to modern chocolates and designs.

“It’s a mix: some ‘30s, some ‘40s, some ‘50s, some ‘90s, some 2000s,” said owner Connie Mayers. “So, I’m trying to grasp everybody.”

Though Mayers used a “touch of the old-fashioned” when creating Main Street Sweets, she also set out to have a candy shop that would appeal to children and their parents while keeping a unique atmosphere that separated it from similar franchise stores.

“Well, people are usually surprised when they come in. They see the mirrors and they see the glitter and they see the jewelry, and they see the combination of all of the different, wonderful chocolates,” she said.

Coke in glass bottles shares space with hand-crafted chocolates and modern jewelry. Mayers even sells copies of “Berlinopoly,” the board game designed around the popular Parker Brothers creation but with spaces sponsored by local businesses.

There’s also a “memory lane” section of the shop packed with retro candy that looks like it could belong in a penny candy store anytime in the last 80 years. Young kids are also fond of the spot, said Mayers. What it lacks for them in nostalgia it makes up for in bright colors and affordability.

“The young children who come in here, they know exactly where to go,” she said. “They come in after school and just dart right over.”

People looking for more complex sweets are equally served. Mayers said that she uses a group of American chocolatiers exclusively for all of her confections and that she only chose the team after extensive research and taste testing. The chocolates they make range from simple classics to complicated but artistic hand-crafted designs, according to Mayers.

“Not only are they pretty to look at, they’re even prettier to eat,” Mayers said.

Mayers opened the store this year, despite having the majority of her working experience in interior design and corporate décor. But those skills lended themselves to operating a sweet shop, she said, with Mayers creating a store that features bright chandeliers, lots of polished surfaces and traditional etched glass. The store has fit in perfectly with the vibe of Berlin, she added.

“It has been very successful. I couldn’t be happier,” said Mayers. “I love being part of Berlin. I love the nostalgia of the old town.”

During the holiday season, especially, Mayers enjoys the atmosphere in town and the way Main Street Sweets fits into the celebrations.

“Berlin at Christmastime really speaks Christmas,” she said. “Everyone decorates their windows; they do it to the hilt. It’s just so pretty. Everybody wants to be here for Christmas.”

But at any time during the year she said that she feels keyed into the community and is glad to have a sweet shop right on Main Street within walking distance of everything else in town.

“People are always walking by and having the farmer’s market nearby is wonderful because the people who stroll through the farmer’s market come up here,” Mayers said.

The town’s restaurants have also helped provide a brisk business, added Mayers, especially since the majority of them are less than a stone throw away from Main Street Sweets.

“I’m in love with this location. I think it’s ideal here,” she said.

Mayers added that she plans on adding an awning in the near future to complete the store’s exterior.