This Swedish candy shop just opened in Coral Gables, and immediately went viral
Want to taste some of the yummiest Swedish candy in Miami? So does everyone else, apparently.
ScandyCandy opened on Aug. 9 to much social media fanfare in downtown Coral Gables, and went a little too viral for its own good.
As seen on the city’s Mayor Vince Lago’s page, fans lined up on the first day on Miracle Mile attempting to cram into the cheery, sleek space and post in real time. By the following Monday, ScandyCandy announced on Instagram it was temporarily closing to reset and restock their inventory.
But fear not, influencers. The store just reopened, and is all stocked up and ready to roll.
Owner Wille Olsen, 21, who runs the place with his brother Calle, 23, told the Miami Herald he wasn’t surprised by folks freaking out immediately over their wares, aka “svenskt godis.”
“Swedish people are very serious about their candy,” said Olsen, who is from Helsingborg, about 300 miles south of Stockholm.
He explained that where he comes from, families devote one day a week to make pilgrimages in a tradition from the 1950s called “lördagsgodis,” translated to “Saturday candy.” (Note a pink floral mural in the back by the cash register that reads “Saturday all week.”)
That seems to be ScandyCandy’s busiest day in terms of foot traffic. Olsen estimates about 700-800 customers pile in to gleefully dig their silver shovels into the bins, filling their paper bags to the brim.
The colorful, chewy treats come in all shapes and colors, at $15.95 a pound. Not one morsel contains artificial ingredients or high fructose corn syrup. Shelves are also lined with bags from popular Scandinavian brands like Ahlgrens Bilar, Kina Snacks and Fizzypop.
“They have such a big selection, which is fun to discover and explore,” said South Miami resident Annie Migdal, who was picking up an after school snack for her 13-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter. “Everything is so different, and very often you get an amazing surprise taste sensation.”
Olsen gets it. He isn’t just hawking the candy, he’s a superfan himself. After falling in love with South Florida while on vacation last year, he decided to make a move. In January, he dropped out of Cal State L.A. where he was playing soccer, and found an apartment in Brickell with his brother. The pair then began scouting locations, zeroing in on quaint meets upscale Coral Gables.
“My dream was always to own a brick and mortar shop; it feels so much more real than the Internet because you can see people really enjoying themselves,” said Olsen, who also manages the retail website. ”And I love that Coral Gables has a great mix .... there’s families, tourists and students all here. It feels like home.”
About that new home. The summer weather took a little getting used to.
“I wasn’t prepared,” Olsen said, laughing. “The humidity was very strange for me. I’m adapting now. Plus, the air conditioning everywhere is really good!”
SCANDY CANDY
241 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables
This story was originally published September 11, 2025 at 4:30 AM.
