PITTSBURGH — Chris Beers could never have imagined that he would one day lead a growing candy empire. When he opened the original location of Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop in the Strip District in 2012, he did so based on a need he saw in the neighborhood — a family-friendly place where Pittsburghers and tourists alike could find their favorite candies and sweets. Since opening that first store, the notoriety of the Grandpa Joe’s brand has grown — fast-forward to 2025 and there are now six Grandpa Joe’s stores in Pennsylvania, as well as locations in West Virginia, Ohio, Florida and Minnesota — 20 total. Known for its wide variety of candy offerings — including many favorites of old, its $5 candy buffet and an assortment of novelty gifts and eclectic glass bottle sodas — the brand has grown with a strong focus on experiential retail, with Beers utilizing his knack for keeping up with the trends and never missing an opportunity to spread a little whimsy.
What were you doing before you opened the first Grandpa Joe’s location?
I was managing the Spaghetti Warehouse, which had locations throughout the U.S. I was kind of their “fix-it” guy. When I was in high school, I got a job as a dishwasher and stayed in the restaurant business until I was 36 years old. And I just kind of got tired of the restaurant business and saw an opportunity to open up a candy store. The Strip District at the time only had Fort Pitt Candy, which was next to McDonald’s on Penn Avenue, and they had gates on the windows and cigarette signs and just didn’t look inviting for your family. They also didn’t sell candy by the piece; they only sold it in bulk. And then we had Mon Aimee Chocolate at the corner of 21st and Penn Avenue, and they were a fancier candy shop. What’s interesting is that Spaghetti Warehouse was at the corner of 26th and Smallman Street. And Candy-Rama used to have a warehouse around 30th and Smallman. So people used to come into Spaghetti Warehouse and ask where Candy-Rama was, but it didn’t exist by the time I made it here.
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