Sockerbit Sweet & Swedish (Candy Shop)

In America, Sweden is best known for (1) IKEA and its (in)famous Swedish meatballs and (2) Swedish House Mafia for their pulsating, eletro-beats.  Now, thanks to Sockerbit and its bi-coastal existence in NYC and LA, we have one more thing for which we can thank the Swedes, namely the Swedish husband-wife duo, Florence and Stefan.

Sockerbit, which roughly translates to "cube/ lump of sugar" in English, showcases a kind of treat that the Swedes have mastered in its own right -- candy.  But not just some boring ol' candy.  We're talking about a wide, colorful array of sour gummies, marshmallow gummies, salty licorice, wrapped chocolates, yoghurt-covered candies, lollipops, sour belts, raspberry boats, berry gumdrops, gummy worms, the list goes on...

... so seems the rows of candies.  Ready, set, go, pick & mix!

A beautiful sight for anyone with a decent sweet tooth.

A dentist's worst/ best nightmare.

To add to the beauty of the variety of colorful candies that line the stark walls, the candies are made with natural colors and are free of trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, and GMOs (genetically modified organisms).

All you have to do is a grab a bag, grab a shovel, and pick and mix any and all types of candies to your heart's delight and/or to your dentist's horror.

Small section of Swedish/ Scandinavian products.

For many Swedes and other Scandinavians, visiting Sockerbit will bring back a part of your childhood in that familiar sweet (pun intended) and nostalgic way.  For everyone else, we can get to partake in an activity that brings warmth to an otherwise minimalistic storefront.  It is one thing to witness the smiles on the faces of children and adults alike, but to jointly experience the joy in tasting fresh and different candies is another.  At Sockerbit, you'll see plenty of both.

Don't worry about going overboard.  With a steep sticker price of $12.99/pound, most people may be forced to be less impulsive and more pickier with which candies to take home.  Let's face it, this is probably good news to our teeth and stomaches alike.  Even with a light hand, I encourage you to sample all sorts of different things and to enjoy the noticeable difference between American candies and those made in or near Sweden.

Leave it to the Europeans to master sweets (Belgian, British, Swiss chocolates, German gummy bears - Haribo!, French bonbons), and Sockerbit is no exception.  Thanks for bring quality candies to LA!

** Fun Facts **

• The bags with pick ‘n’ mix candy is called “smågodis”.  { resource }
• In 1980, the average Swede ate 8.5 kilos (18.7 lbs) candy annually, in 2011 the average Swede ate all of 15 kilos (33 lbs) candy annually (statistics are from Jordbruksverket – the Swedish Board of Agriculture), which means they consume most candy in the world!
• When you think of Swedish candy, the first thing that comes to mind is likely Swedish fish — those bright-red, waxy confections that you've either grown to love or (most likely) still detest. Let us be clear from the top that they are nothing like the real deal. { resource }
• Swedes have dedicated a special day, Saturdays, for doing just that. Parents train children from a young age to wait patiently for Saturday to roll around so they can eat bags full of godis. To be fair, these are small little paper bags, but still. It's actually kind of smart, because kids don't go around begging their parents for candy all week long. { resource }

cuisine: Candy
location: Beverly Grove (near Fairfax & Third)
hours: Daily, 11am - 9pm
websites: { S | yelp | facebook | twitter }
parking: Street meters
attire: Casual
price: $$ ($12/pound)
other reviews: { StudioDIY | LA Weekly }