For more than two decades, Theresa and Sean Ross were loyal customers at The Candy Shoppe Gifts and Treats, a beloved downtown candy store in Port Orchard. Now, they’re the ones behind the counter.

The longtime couple officially took over the 25-year-old candy shop this spring, stepping in not to “save” the store, they emphasize, but to continue a legacy, one shaped by original owners the Charboneaus, and most recently, by Tami Spore, who ran the business through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We really want people to consider it the same candy store that’s been there for 25 years,” Sean said. “We’re just the third owners. That’s all.”

For Sean, his first visit to the shop was nearly 20 years ago, walking through downtown Port Orchard with Theresa, who had just moved to the area from Chicago. The store reminded her of the Albanese candy factory in Indiana, a family favorite from her childhood.

“It was the first time I’d ever been in a store full of candy like that,” Sean said. “You walk in and it’s just like being a kid again.”

The idea of owning the store came unexpectedly. The couple had been planning to launch a candied nut business to sell at local farmers markets. On a walk downtown with their St. Bernard, Theresa popped into the candy shop and casually mentioned the plan to Spore. By the time she came back outside, the entire direction of their lives had shifted.

“She just said, ‘You won’t believe this, she offered to sell me the store,’” Sean recalled. “It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime, right-place-right-time kind of moments.”

The couple jumped on the opportunity, not just for nostalgia, but for a practical future. Sean, a branch manager at the shipyard, said they were thinking ahead to retirement and the kind of business that could create something lasting for their family.

The transition wasn’t easy. The store needed extensive restocking and updates to meet current building codes. The couple spent around $40,000 on inventory and repairs and hired three staff members to ensure the shop could be managed properly.

“There’s just no way to run this kind of business alone,” Sean said, acknowledging Spore’s effort to keep the store going during the pandemic. “She did the best she could, and honestly, it’s amazing she made it through COVID; she cared deeply.”

In fact, Spore trained Theresa personally, sharing recipes, techniques, and insider tricks, particularly for making fudge, a store staple.

“She gave us all the secrets to making sure it doesn’t come out dry or cracked,” Sean said. “If she hadn’t, it would have taken us years to figure it out ourselves.”

The Rosses have made their mark with some updates. International candies now line the shelves, with products from Japan, Australia, and the U.K. They’ve reintroduced toys, including an expanding collection of Funko Pops and PEZ dispensers, while keeping longtime favorites like the vast saltwater taffy selection and the signature “Seagull Plops,” a locally trademarked chocolate confection dating back to the store’s early days.

They also hope to bring back roasted nuts, the original plan that started it all, once they can install a compliant industrial hood later this year.

Despite the behind-the-scenes hustle, Sean said much of the joy comes from keeping the magic of the store alive for others.

“The two things people know the store for are the fudge and the huge taffy selection. We’ll never get rid of the candy bins. That’s sacred,” he said.

Looking ahead, the Rosses have big dreams, including plans to open two more stores and eventually launch a candy factory in Kitsap County, modeled after the Albanese operation that first inspired Theresa.

“That’s my moonshot,” Sean said. “Someday, I’d love for the Ross Family Sweets name to be known nationwide, and for our kids to carry it forward. This is how you build generational wealth.”

But for now, their focus remains on keeping the shop open, sweet, and rooted in its history.

“Everything on the inside has our flair, but we want it to feel like the same store,” Sean said. “This is part of Port Orchard’s story, and we’re just helping write the next chapter.