Started by Mr Guppy, the shop is now owned by Daphne Brouard who bought the business with her husband, Steve, in September 2000.
Steve was a well-known character on the Bridge and well known for his sense of humour. When he suddenly died in 2019, Daphne continued to run the shop by herself for a few years before her daughter, Rhian, joined her as co-owner. Together they run the shop along with 22 members of staff.
Long-serving manager Lee Crocker has been a friendly face for 18 years.
‘Like any successful business we can only be as good as our committed staff and we are very lucky and have some of the best,’ said Rhian.
A lot has changed over the years but one constant is the commitment to nostalgia with the huge variety of sweets available ‘by the quarter’. However, the shop also follows the latest trends, such as stocking products linked to social media influencers, with the likes of Mr Beast chocolate, Shades and Prime, as well as new emerging Japanese confectionery.
The family-run shop imports products from all over the world.
Alongside confectionery, the shop also sells a huge selection of drinks, ice lollies, ice-cream cones – which Rhian said are often dubbed the best value in the island – alcohol, tobacco, vapes and CBD products. Fresh Senners bread, gache and cakes are also delivered daily.
The shop is open every day of the year apart from Christmas Day. Also, with long opening hours, the Candy Shop ensures convenience for its customers.
Rhian said that she enjoys seeing regular customers.
‘The Bridge has a great community feel and many customers come in daily for a chat. The staff and customers alike are often on first name terms,’ she said.
‘One thing that is always nice to hear is when visitors come in and reminisce about all their old favourite sweets which they haven’t seen in a while, as well as locals who have moved away and pop back in to tell their children stories of how they used to come in as a child themselves.’
The Candy Shop is open from 7am until 10pm Monday to Friday and 8am until 10pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
The Confederation of Guernsey Industry (CGi) has championed the island’s grassroots industries — particularly those operating outside the finance sector for 30 years.
The CGi represents a wide range of non-finance businesses, from sole traders to multinational companies, reflecting the diversity and resilience of our broader economy.
Many of these work behind the scenes, making vital contributions that often go unnoticed. This series of articles shines a light on these unsung heroes of the non-finance sector and raises awareness of the important role they play.
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