1st candy store in Binbrook area of Hamilton a truly family business

Published March 3, 2023 at 6:02 pm

Regardless of age, you have a chance to literally act like a kid in a candy store in booming Binbrook.

Sugar Hi Candy Shoppe, which is dedicated to the four S’s — savoury, sour, spicy, and sweet — soft-launched about a month and half ago at 3194 Hwy. 56 in the south Hamilton community. The store is new, but the family behind it are well-established in the area. The husband-and-wife team of Boris and Maureen Rodrigues own and operate the shop. Contributions from daughters Emma and Nadia Rodrigues making it a second- and third-generation business.

The Rodrigues family previously had a pizza shop in the same space; in fact, it was the first in Binbrook when Domenic Rodrigues (Boris’s father) opened it there in the 1980s. The pizza shop bore Domenic’s name.

A survey of Sugar Hi’s wares displayed on social media shows that it aims to find a balance between familiar faves and imported, unique treats. The latter category includes the likes of Japanese fizzy drinks, gummie noodles, and Warheads sour drinks.

Through its early days, the shop is keeping an active presence on Instagram (@sugar.hi.candy) and Facebook (@sugarhicandy). Information about hours and product availability are also available by telephone (289-756-1100). A grand opening is also scheduled for the spring, according to a recent report by The Sachem-Gazette.