Schimpff’s Confectionery

We are from Chicago, but had our wedding in Louisville. We had stopped at Schimpff’s on the way home from a trip to meet with our vendors and really wanted some of their candy for our favors so I ordered several pounds of red hots and lemon drops. There was a little hiccup with the order and it was a few days before our wedding and I was without candy… yikes! I gave them a call and, not only did they immediately overnight our order, they also included a personal note and called the next day to make sure we received it. Aside from their great product, this was such a testament to how they do business and what great people work there. Thank you, Schimpff’s!

Why did I not know about this place before? So quaint. A great date night would be a stroll across the Big 4 Bridge and then something sweet at Schmipff’s. Be sure to stop in on your birthday and get a free $ 4 sundae!

First trip to Jeffersonville and I had to stop at this famous location. Sampled a few chocolates and I have to say they were AMAZING! The ladies behind the counter were so sweet and made me feel like I had lived there all my life. It was a wonderful place to visit.

Took a taxi on one of their «open» days
They were not open despite what it says online
Wasted 40 bucks on a taxi.

I have been going to Schimpffs candy store since I was a wee child of a Jeffersonville gal. My mom was born and raised in Jeff and we grew up traveling over the bridge for all the good stuff… Pizza King, Harvest Homecoming and Schimpffs candy store.
The store is authentically quaint and very «Charlie found a golden ticket.» When you walk in the walls are full of jars of candy and cabinets of chocolates. So many chocolates.
In the back there is a small lunch space where there’s an icecream counter, booths and small tables. There menu is small but they have sandwiches and chips and delicious looking milkshakes.
As you keep walking there is a museum part of the store along with where they make the candy. Redhots, lemon heads, chocolates, taffy, I’ve seen it all. If you want a fun experience to have with practically anyone in the fam, take a trip over to Jeff… Louisville will be there when you are done ;)

First time here was for Valentine’s Day 2015 and I was pregnant. It was very busy & my son was moving all about hearing all people! This year we continued our Valentine’s tradition! We missed Valentine’s Day, but went the weekend after. To our pleasant surprise, we got to see Easter candy! I’m sure we’ll be adding some other holidays to this wonderful candy shop. So tasty!

If there’s one business that deserves more than five stars, it’s this one! I knew this place was over the bridge but never visited. With the Big Four Bridge, it’s so easy to visit that you have no reason to stay away!
First! The museum. All kinds of candy memorabilia, signs, old candy machines, and candy history! On that side of the building they also have demonstrations. You can watch someone make candy! If you’re a candy enthusiast at all… just go here!
They do candy demonstrations every hour or two. I didn’t get to see that because I was there as they were opening for the day. I will be back to check it out.
In the other side of the shop… CANDY, CANDY, and more CANDY! They also have a lunch? deli, but I haven’t tried anything from there. I’m not sure what’s on the menu, but I believe they have sandwiches and milkshakes (that people love).
I was overwhelmed as I started picking out candy to buy. So many choices! I blame Matt R. for handing me a chocolate red hot crème (they’re now an obsession!). Immediately on hitting my taste buds, I knew I had to buy some! I ended up with an assortment, but I have to say the dark chocolate red hot cremes were by far the best! I’ve been craving them since I finished mine!
Friendly staff with customers that are in a great mood. People love candy and the positive vibe from this place is radiant. I’ll definitely be back. I also see this as an immediate go-​to when anyone comes to town to visit.

This place is totally awesome. The employees are very friendly and helpful. A great place to take out-​of-​town guests, or just to go for a pick-​me-​up if you want something sweet!

This old fashion candy shop is great. On one side they have a candy museum, which is pretty much a really neat collection of old candy tins. There is also and old candy machine that works for a nickel. They also do a candy demonstration with the only equipment (I didn’t get to see that though). On the other side is the candy shop (which also serves lunch, old fashioned sodas, and ice cream). They have a great selection of different candies, truffles, cremes and so much more. I opted for the sample box of candies so I could try a few different kinds and a friend let me try one of their cinnamon cremes. I was worried that it was going to be strong like and cinnamon mint, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was not overpowering and very refreshing. Check this place out! Try one of everything, or at least try out one of the cinnamon cremes

Five stars simply because they offer one specific candy — chocolate covered jellies (orange and raspberry). These are my all time favorite and they are pretty impossible to find any more. Plus the ones here are really good. So hooray!

A visit to Schimpf’s is like going back in time. According to them, their shop is the oldest, continuously operated, family owned candy store in the U.S. (It was founded in 1891). From the museum to the soda fountain, everything here reminds people of yesteryear.
You know you’re in for something special when you can see folks making chocolates and hard candies from stations in the front windows. You walk through the small door into an alley of candy. Long, glass counters filled with goodies including salt water taffy, bourbon balls, and modjeskas line either side of the entrance. I love their chocolates, but my favorite items are their hard candy fish and Christmas treats (candy canes & sugar plums).
We’ve been coming here for years for their deli (think lunch counter) and soda fountain. They offer classic sandwiches and soups as you’d expect like ham salad, olive and cream cheese, and egg salad. They also make deviled eggs and you can chose pie for dessert, if ice cream isn’t your thing.
I always go for the olive and cream cheese on rye with deviled eggs and a chocolate shake. The salty, creamy, sweet, chocolatey combo is divine! Their shakes (only $ 4) are made the old– fashioned way and come out thick and rich. Simple yet satisfying sandwiches range from under $ 2 for hot dog to $ 4 for most selections.
Schimpf’s is a national treasure which is obvious from the awards and photos of famous people on their walls. They not only carry on a family tradition, but remind us what small-​town America once looked like. This shop is a sweet time-​capsule in the heart of Jeffersonville!

I discovered Schimpff’s through a City Taste Tour, but I suspect Unilocal would have led me there eventually. In terms of the candy, it’s really all about the dark chocolate red hot cremes for me. Sure, the traditional red hots are great, particularly when they are literally hot of the (candy) presses, but I only want so much hard candy. Chocolate, on the other hand, I can eat all day. So I really like that they adapted the flavor that made them famous into a soft, chocolatey confection.
As others have mentioned, the demonstration is a must. When we host out-​of-​towners, we end up here on Saturday morning as often as not. It’s entertaining, it’s local flavor, and it’s a place to get some nice edible souvenirs. We also like the old nickle candy dispenser in the museum area.
We’ve never had a milkshake or anything from their little counter café but the quality sweets and friendly staff are enough to keep us coming back.

I really want to give them a better rating, but I just can’t. The candy is solid (not the best I’ve had, but they do a good job). The bourbon balls are really good, the cremes are nice and the peppermint patties are very good.
The reason they get such low marks is the SERVICE; if you can even call what you get there service. I’ve been in there 3 – 4 times over the course of 6 months (twice during/​before special events in the area) and only twice have I encountered employees that treated me politely and professionally (with a smile).
Tonight we went into the store at 4:40ish. The Jeffersonville parade started at 5PM. The many employees were all far more concerned with shooing us out instead of serving us. And, why wouldn’t they stay open an extra hour when the street is LINED with people?! I got home and realized I didn’t get two of the types of candies I had ordered (I don’t think I paid for them so at least there’s that).
I ordered ‘soup’ there on one occasion. It was supposed to be potato soup. What I got was this horrible bowl of semi milky potato water with a few chunks of potato floating around in it. Needless to say we won’t order food there again.
I really love the idea of Schimpff’s and I WANT to be able to say glowing things about this Jeffersonville staple, but I just can’t. They need to rethink their service model and try again.

So much fun, great place for groups or kids. We park on Louisville side and walked across Big 4 bridge.

Oh my God, this is a wonderful place to spend your money, and you WILL spend it. Trust me. I can’t get out of here for less than $ 50. I love the dark chocolate orange jellies, seconded closely by everything else in the cases. They make it right there in the store, and you can tell. They are particularly well known for the Modjeska– a marshmallow coated with caramel named for a 19^th century diva – which is divine. If you haven’t tried one, you must do so immediately. Be warned, though, the closer it gets to Christmas, the harder shopping here becomes. Get your goodies early! Its a tiny place, and it gets really crowded. And people are massively unable to cope with the simple concept of a line.
Be sure to check out the little museum in back, candy history is everywhere here but they display what’s not in use. Very interesting to see marketing through the years. Always enjoyable and educational.

Walking in the door is reminiscent of a cartoon in which a smell wafts through and catches your nose. You are immediately greeted by all kinds of sweet scents. This place has been making hand-​made candy since 1891. I tried some delicious samples upon entering. The white chocolate covered pretzel was excellent. They also did a full demonstration on making their world famous red hot cinnamon squares candy. All of it was in their very own demonstration area. In addition, they have a full 50’s style restaurant area and museum filled with items from the American candy industry.

Super cool atmosphere, amazing staff, really cool soda fountain bar, and you can watch candy being made. The candy was good, not amazing by any means but it’s definitely the atmosphere and the old-​school vintage touch that makes this place really cool! I hope it sticks around for another 150 years!

Shame and hell fire on any one who dares to give this place anything but five stars! Blood, sweat, and tears are produced to create a business like this. Such a fine treasure of antique copper candy making tools is a rare thing to see accumulated in one place.
The owners are still passionate after all these years when passion might fail less resolute business owners. The clerks and store managers are mighty chipper each and every day as they dole out pound after pound of delightful confectionary that Willy Wonka himself would go all scrum-​diddly-​umptious for!
Red hots, chocolate covered toffee, and anything that the clerks recommend is what I recommend.
Yes, I must have gotten hold of their Kool Aid, but I am happy with that!

Woohoo! Now that the Big Four Bridge has opened up, even better. Take a stroll into Jeffersonville and visit Schimpff’s! Do it, do it! It’s perfect no matter what age you are! You can start out with their museum of candy memorabilia and watch a live demonstration of how they make their cinnamon drops (or red hots). It’s fascinating and the couple running the show is ADORABLE.
Move on to then make your candy purchases, the cinnamon drops, modjeskas, all types of candy! Complete with a 50s soda foundation. Lunch is also served here, though I did not get to try it. Wonderful gem of a place.

This is three reviews for the price of one.
I. Schimpff’s the candy museum
I really dug this exhibit despite its modest size. It was a fun and unique way to spend half an hour while waiting for the demonstration. They provide some interesting informational placards, but mostly the room is filled with artefacts – thousands and thousands of artefacts. There is some old candy-​making equipment, but the bulk of the collection is comprised of packaging and advertising items. Some of them are quite beautiful, from an era when marketing materials were so much more elaborate than today. There are so many that you could easily spend an hour or more poring over them all.
II. Schimpff’s the candy-​making demonstration
This was my favorite aspect of our visit. They taught us the history of Schimpff’s – the oldest continuously family-​owned candy maker in the United States – and showed us how they manufacture their world-​famous cinnamon red hot squares. All of their goods are produced by hand using vintage equipment. For example, the confectioner’s table was manufactured in 1891, only two weeks before the founding of the company itself.
The demonstration was both fascinating and delightful. At the end, we all enjoyed the great pleasure of tasting a still-​warm cinnamon square.
III. Schimpff’s the candy store
Of course after all that sugary stimulation, one must scratch that sweet itch. And then take some home to keep scratching. These glass cases house almost every kind of chocolate imaginable, and behind them on the wall are jars and jars of various other bulk candies. They even have a solid selection of Jelly Bellys (one of the few items not manufactured on site). In the end I kept it pretty modest: espresso creams (B+), coconut creams (B), bourbon balls (A-​), and milk chocolate cashew clusters (A-​). Oh, and a canister of cinnamon red hots (A).