Tucked away on a historic street in Massachusetts is a tiny candy shop that’s been serving sweet treats for over 200 years.
This isn’t your average stop for chocolate and gummies, since it’s known for old-school candies you won’t find in big stores, made with recipes from the early 1800s.
Think chewy sugar sticks, bold molasses flavors, and shelves packed with goodies that feel like they belong in another century.
If you’re the kind of person who loves discovering spots with a story and a serious sugar fix, you’re going to want to see what makes this place so special.
Where Is It?
Ye Olde Pepper Companie is located at 122 Derby Street in Salem, Massachusetts.
It’s less than a five-minute walk from famous spots like the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and the House of the Seven Gables.
If you’re driving in, it’s about 35 minutes from Boston, 40 minutes from Cambridge, 80 minutes from Worcester, and roughly 1.5 hours from Providence, RI.
About
Step inside Ye Olde Pepper Companie and you’re walking straight into a candy shop that feels frozen in time.
This tiny storefront is famous for old-school sweets, especially the legendary Gibralters, which are hard sugar candies in flavors like lemon and peppermint.
You’ll also find Salem’s beloved Black Jacks, a molasses-flavored candy that has been a local favorite for generations.
Alongside these classics, the shelves are packed with treats like fudge, chocolate turtles, saltwater taffy, peanut brittle, and caramel popcorn.
Nothing here feels mass-produced, and that’s part of the charm, with recipes still in use from a few hundred years ago.
As you browse, you’ll notice the shop is small, so expect a tight squeeze if it’s busy, especially during October when Salem fills up for Halloween season.
But that won’t matter once you catch a whiff of the sweet notes of chocolate, sugar, and spice floating through the air as soon as you walk in.
So if you’re into treats you won’t find in big grocery stores, this place is your jackpot, offering candies from familiar favorites to flavors you’ve probably never tried.
History
The Ye Olde Pepper Companie traces back to 1806, when Mary Spencer sold homemade candies in Salem, making it the oldest candy company in the U.S.
Back then, the town was a busy seaport, and her simple sugar candies, known as Salem Gibralters, quickly became popular with locals and sailors passing through.
Paired with Black Jacks, these candies became the first to be sold commercially in America and are still made today using traditional methods.
After Spencer passed away in the 1830s, the business was sold to John William Pepper, who expanded the operation and eventually gave the shop its name.
It eventually changed hands again in the early 1900s, when George Burkinshaw purchased the company and its recipes, helping preserve its traditional methods.
From that point on, it has stayed in the Burkinshaw family, expanding its offerings while still holding onto the original candies that started it all.
The store now has two locations, plus a wholesale division and an online shop.
Know Before You Go
Hours
Ye Olde Pepper Companie is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but it’s still a good idea to check ahead since hours can shift slightly with the season.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit is during the off-season or on weekday mornings, when crowds are lighter compared to the busy October rush.
The shop is small, so if it’s crowded, you might need a little patience while waiting your turn to browse the candy displays.
Parking
Parking here can be tight due to resident-only streets, so if you can’t find a spot nearby, garages like the Museum Place Garage, a short walk away, are a good option.
Nearby Attractions
You’re right in the middle of Salem’s top attractions, so it’s easy to turn your candy stop into a full day of exploring.
The Salem Maritime National Historic Site is just a 5-minute walk away, where you can check out Derby Wharf and the tall ship Friendship of Salem.
You can also swing by The House of the Seven Gables, only a 2-minute stroll away, for guided tours of the 1668 mansion that inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel.
If you’re more into museums, walk 10 minutes to the Peabody Essex Museum, which features over 1.3 million works of art and cultural artifacts.
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