The eclectic South Front district recently added a unique offering for those in search of sustenance: a specialty store stocked with rare and nostalgic treats, including many spiked with adults-only substances like CBD, Delta-8 and alcohol.
Owner Mia Troy described Sugar Buzzed as a “grown-up candy store.” Troy, who also owns nearby Axes & Allies on South Third Street, began working to open the shop in March after hearing about the success of some hemp products from a colleague in the axe-throwing world. She expanded the concept to include more fun snacks, some of them catered to adults, and Sugar Buzzed opened a few months later in mid-June.
Decked out with custom-poured epoxy flooring and a hand-painted border of honey dripping down the walls, the shop was intentionally designed to be approachable and family-friendly. The walls are lined with enticing snacks that are safe for consumers of all ages, while adults-only edibles are kept in a glass case around the cash register and require employee assistance to access.
“There’s something so much more palatable, pun intended, about eating your hemp rather than [inhaling it],” Troy said, adding that the store’s atmosphere “takes away some of the stigma” that new consumers might associate with products containing legal cannabinoids.
In addition to candy and cookies laced with CBD and Delta-8, the store also carries a line of products made with compounds sourced from mushroom varieties like lion’s mane and reishi, which can be used to promote focus, increase energy and boost mood. These items are among the shop’s best sellers, Troy noted. Many customers ask if the mushroom products are psychedelic, and while none of their inventory currently is, Sugar Buzzed will soon carry products sourced from amanita mushrooms, which Troy described as producing mild psychedelic effects.
“Whereas Delta-8 is described as THC-light, so you’re going to get the sensation of being high, amanita is psychedelic-light,” Troy said.
Edible alcohol is another unique option stocked inside the adults-only case at Sugar Buzzed. A line of gummies made by Smith & Sinclair each weigh in at about 5% alcohol by volume with flavors like berry daiquiri, gin & tonic, tequila sunrise and whiskey sour. Wine-lovers might prefer Winosaurs, bags of small gummy dinosaurs spiked with wine. A 3.2-ounce bag of Winosaurs is equivalent to roughly two-and-a-half glasses of wine, Troy noted. Some Winosaurs are fruit-flavored, while others taste like a red blend or Moscato.
The shop’s selection of adult treats isn’t limited to candy. Customers can also buy booze-infused ice cream and popsicles as well as drinks spiked with compounds from hemp and mushrooms. Other drinks contain adaptogens, or natural substances that are said to mimic the effects of booze. Still others are free of all substances, and instead provide a fun, safe sipper for those who want to socialize while experimenting with or embracing abstinence.
“All of these are different, alternative ways of feeling a nice calmness in your mind and relaxing the body, without it having to be alcohol,” Troy said.
Some snacks are simply that—snacks. Sugar Buzzed carries an assortment of candy, chips, cookies, popcorn and more sourced from Faire, which Troy described as a platform that allows smaller, independent snack brands to compete with large companies by helping with distribution and invoicing. To ensure the products are competitive, Sugar Buzzed’s inventory of Faire goods is not sold by other shops nearby and most are not available online.
Sprinkled in among the snacks are some TikTok trending items, among them freeze-dried confections and candies laced with Chamoy, a spicy Mexican sauce made of chilis and fruit that is also available as a seasoning blend.
Located at 1540 S. Second St., Suite 100, Sugar Buzzed is open Monday through Thursday, 3-11 p.m.; Friday, 3 p.m. to midnight; Saturday, noon to midnight; and Sunday, 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.
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