You walk into Bricktown and the first thing you notice isn't the canal or the ballpark. It’s the smell. If you’ve ever been near the corner of Mickey Mantle Drive, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s that heavy, sugary scent of boiling sugar and old-school chocolate that hits you before you even see the sign. Bricktown Candy Co Oklahoma City OK is one of those places that feels like it’s been there forever, even though the district itself has gone through a massive face-lift over the last few decades.
It’s huge. Honestly, the scale of the place is what throws people off. You expect a cute little boutique, but what you get is a massive warehouse of nostalgia.
Most people think candy shops are just for kids. They aren't. Not this one. This is where grown adults go to find that one specific brand of soda their grandpa used to drink in rural Oklahoma in 1964. It’s a library of sugar.
The Soda Wall at Bricktown Candy Co Oklahoma City OK is Overwhelming
Let's talk about the soda. Most "candy stores" throw a few Cokes in a cooler and call it a day. Not here. They have a wall. It’s a literal library of glass bottles. You’ll find stuff like Dublin Root Beer, various iterations of cream soda, and those weird fruit flavors that haven't been in a mainstream grocery store since the Nixon administration.
They carry over 150 flavors of glass-bottle soda.
Why does that matter? Because cane sugar hits different. High fructose corn syrup is fine for a quick fix, but when you’re walking the Bricktown Canal on a humid July afternoon, a cold glass bottle of black cherry soda is a religious experience. You'll see brands like Boylan, Jones, and a staggering amount of root beer varieties that range from "syrupy sweet" to "medicinal and spicy."
People travel from across the state just to stock up on the hard-to-find stuff. It’s not just about the drink; it’s about the clink of the glass.
Gelato in the Middle of a Brick Warehouse
Then there’s the gelato.
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It’s weirdly tucked in there. You're surrounded by plastic bins of sour worms and suddenly there’s a high-end gelato counter. It’s authentic, dense, and creamy. On a Saturday night when the OKC Dodgers are playing nearby, the line for this counter can get a bit wild.
Is it worth the wait? Usually. The flavors rotate, but they generally stick to the classics while throwing in a few seasonal curveballs. It provides a nice structural balance to the shop—you have the shelf-stable nostalgia on the right and the fresh, cold indulgence on the left.
Bulk Candy and the Psychology of the Plastic Bag
The heart of Bricktown Candy Co Oklahoma City OK is the bulk section. This is where they get you.
You pick up a clear plastic bag. You think, "I'll just get a few runts." Ten minutes later, your bag weighs three pounds and costs twenty dollars. It’s an easy trap to fall into because the variety is genuinely staggering. We are talking rows upon rows of acrylic bins filled with everything from standard gummy bears to those weird chalky mints that only your grandmother likes.
- Retro Classics: Abba-Zaba, Big Hunk, and Sky Bars.
- The Weird Stuff: Chocolate-covered insects (yes, they have them) and bacon-flavored everything.
- International Finds: A decent selection of British chocolate and Mexican candies.
The bins are kept remarkably clean. That’s a small detail, but in the world of bulk candy, it’s the difference between a great experience and a gross one. You won't find sticky residue or mixed-up candies as often as you do in mall kiosks. The staff here actually seems to care about the inventory.
Why Oklahoma City Loves This Spot
Oklahoma City has a complicated relationship with its downtown. For years, Bricktown was the only "cool" place to go, then it became "too touristy," and now it’s settled into this comfortable role as the city's living room.
Bricktown Candy Co fits perfectly into that narrative. It’s a "tourist" spot that locals actually visit. You’ll see families in Thunder jerseys stopping by after a game at the Paycom Center, which is just a short walk away. It’s one of the few places in the district that doesn't feel like it’s trying too hard to be "modern." It’s just a brick building full of things that make people happy.
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Navigating the Crowds and the Layout
If you go on a Friday night, be prepared. It’s loud. The ceilings are high, the floors are hard, and the sound of children realizing they can have whatever they want bounces off the walls.
If you want a peaceful experience, go on a Tuesday morning. The light hits the brick walls through the big front windows, and you can actually browse the labels of the retro lunchboxes and tin signs without being bumped into.
- Check the Expiration Dates: Not that things go bad often, but with such a massive inventory of obscure sodas, it’s always smart to peek at the dust levels.
- The Lunchboxes: Don't skip the back walls. They have a massive collection of metal lunchboxes. It’s basically a pop-culture museum.
- Parking: Look, parking in Bricktown is always a mess. Don't try to park right in front. Use the garage a block away or find a meter on a side street. It’ll save you the headache.
The shop also leans heavily into the "gift" aspect of candy. You can find pre-packaged boxes that are themed—like "1980s nostalgia" or "sour lovers." These are actually surprisingly well-curated. They aren't just stuffed with filler; they have the heavy hitters.
The Truth About the Prices
Is it cheap? No.
You’re paying for the location and the curation. You can get a bag of Haribo at Walmart for two dollars, but you can’t get a specific flavor of Japanese Kit-Kat or a bottle of butterscotch soda there. You’re paying for the "find." Most locals accept this as the "Bricktown Tax." It’s an experience-based purchase.
When you factor in the cost of maintaining a massive retail space in the most expensive real estate district in the city, the prices make sense.
Beyond the Sugar: The Cultural Impact
In a world where everything is digital and Amazon can ship a box of Snickers to your door in two hours, places like Bricktown Candy Co Oklahoma City OK shouldn't exist. But they do. And they thrive.
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There is something tactile about grabbing a scoop and filling a bag. It’s one of the few retail experiences left that feels completely analog. You see kids staring at the giant lollipops with the same look of wonder that kids had in the 1950s. It’s a rare bridge between generations. You’ll see a 70-year-old man pointing out a "Chick-O-Stick" to his grandson, explaining that this was the height of luxury when he was eight.
That’s the real product they are selling. It’s not the glucose; it’s the memory.
Logistics and Practical Info
The store is located at 100 E California Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104.
The hours are generally generous, staying open later on weekends to accommodate the post-dinner crowd from the surrounding restaurants like Mickey Mantle’s or Charleston’s. If you’re planning a birthday party or a corporate event, they do offer bulk discounts if you call ahead, though the store is primarily a walk-in retail operation.
One thing to note: the store is fully accessible. Despite being in an older brick building, the aisles are wide enough for strollers and wheelchairs, which is a big plus given how cramped some specialty shops can be.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
If you're heading down to the city, don't just wander in aimlessly. Have a bit of a plan so you don't end up with a $50 bag of salt water taffy you'll never eat.
- The "One-Bottle" Rule: Limit yourself to one or two weird sodas. They are heavy to carry if you’re walking the canal, and the sugar crash is real.
- Sample the Gelato First: If you’re debating between candy and gelato, get the gelato and eat it while you browse. It’s the better "immediate" treat.
- Look Up: Some of the coolest vintage decor and rare candy displays are on the upper shelves near the ceiling.
- Combine with the Water Taxi: The candy shop is right near the Water Taxi entrance. Grab your treats, then hop on the boat for a 20-minute tour of the district. It’s the quintessential OKC afternoon.
- Check the "Oddities" Section: Look for the section with the weird flavored crickets or the "world's hottest" peppers. Even if you don't buy them, they are great for a laugh or a dare.
Bricktown is constantly evolving, with new hotels and apartments popping up every year, but this candy shop remains a literal anchor for the area. It provides a sense of continuity in a city that is very much in the middle of a massive identity shift. Whether you are a local who hasn't been downtown in a year or a tourist staying at the Omni, it's a mandatory stop for a reason. You go for the sugar, but you stay for the weirdly specific feeling of being a kid again, if only for twenty minutes.