Shuster’s Candy & Creamery Bringing Sweet Candy and Ice Cream to Downtown Macon

Shuster’s Candy & Creamery, a candy-and-ice cream shop, is continuing a family legacy of selling sweets in New Jersey but now in the heart of Georgia. The business will hold a soft opening beginning this Thursday, July 24th, with a Grand Opening Celebration tentatively to follow on Wednesday, July 30th.

A Tale from Newark’s Soda-Street Heyday

The inspiration behind the shop traces back to the 1950s in Newark, New Jersey, where Jon Shuster’s grandparents opened Shuster’s Confectionery, a classic soda fountain where they both worked by day and lived in the back, according to a recent Instagram post from the new business discussing that legacy. 

“Jon’s grandparents scooped cones by day and lived in the back by night. This new chapter is a heartfelt revival shaped by family stories passed down through generations,” the recent social media post said.

Jon Shuster spent decades doing the corporate grind and will now continue his family legacy by helping run the sweet shop.

Tennille Shuster has strong Macon connections, being a Mercer University graphic design professor and former ice-cream scooper. She is said to be applying her visual design eye to the shop’s aesthetic.

The Shusters's daughters, Ella and Saybel, are also part of the family-centered vision, and will help run the store once it opens.

What’s on the Menu

According to Shuster's Candy & Creamy, the sweet shop will offer "handscooped ice cream, nostalgic candy, and all the sweet treats you can dream of. "

History with a Modern Twist

Historic candy shops in the 1950s - like the Shusters’s Newark storefront - served as more than mere stores. They were also social centers where families took their kids to help make sweet memories to last a lifetime.

By rekindling that ethos in a modern setting, the Shusters aim to create a corner where community connection, artistic expression, and sweet flavors combine to create a memorable experience for families and anyone else with a sweet tooth.

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When You Can Check out Shuster's Candy & Creamery

Shuster's Candy & Creamery  will have a soft opening from Thursday, July 23rd, 2025, through Sunday, July 27th. Check out the store's hours during its soft opening at this link.

The store's Grand Opening is currently tentatively scheduled for July 30th at 4 p.m..

Shuster's Candy & Creamery can be found at at 616 Poplar Street, where you can drop in for a sneak-peek scoop of ice cream starting this Thursday.

Buying candy with change from your parents is a core memory for many older Americans (Photograph courtesy of the Library of Congress)

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