A new downtown Burlington candy store aims to bring sweet fun to the Church Street Marketplace. Whizbangs Candy Lab opened on August 30 at 38 Church Street, the former home of shoe store Dear Lucy, which relocated to 50 Church Street earlier this year.
The bright shop is the second outpost of a family-owned business that is “hoping to spread throughout the U.S.,” according to owner Geoffrey Swarts. The 32-year-old Colorado native moved with his family to Burlington to open what he called the flagship store for his concept. Store manager Kaisa Eaton, 24, also moved from Colorado to help open the shop. A business partner launched a smaller Whizbangs in the Dolphin Mall in Miami in May, Swarts said.
Whizbangs makes fresh fudge and chocolate confections — such as chocolate-dipped, M&M’s-studded pretzel sticks and chocolate-enrobed Twinkies — in a viewable kitchen at the rear of the 1,500-square-foot retail space. The store also carries nostalgic candy, such as candy cigarettes and Mallo Cups; viral hits, such as Taylor Swift’s favorite Squashies and Dubai chocolate; and novelties, such as giant jawbreakers and extreme sour candy. A display of Vermont candy occupies a front corner, and the truffle selection is from South Burlington’s Birnn Chocolates of Vermont.
Burlington appealed to the family, Swarts said, because his wife is from the East Coast. He called Vermont “kind of a mix of Colorado and the East Coast.”
“We understand Burlington is going through a challenging time,” Swarts said. “We know this is a risk, but we believe in investing in community, and candy stores are fun.”
This article appears in Sep 17-23 2025.
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