Rockville Centre Becomes A Little Sweeter

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY – The north side of the village just got a little sweeter.

Go Nuts for Sweets, a candy and dessert shop, opened across the street on North Village Avenue from St. Agnes Cathedral earlier this month after more than two years of delays.

Some 200 varieties of packaged and bulk candies in dispensers, with playful shapes and names such as “Funny Bones” and “Silly Assorted Bananas,” line a wall in the shop opposite glass counters filled with chocolate-covered pretzels and M&Ms and 18 types of fudge, including birthday cake and cookie dough.

The shop also serves 12 flavors of ice cream, from vanilla to cotton candy to sugar-free moose tracks, sometimes along with its 20 kinds of cereal, Apple Jacks, Fruity Pebbles and Honey Nut Cheerios among them.

While owner David Thomas has already sold gallons of ice cream since opening his shop Feb. 5, he predicts topping a bowl of cereal with a scoop of ice cream will become his signature concept.

“It’s actually pretty amazing when you mix the ice cream with the cereal, and I think I’m really going to be known for the cereal bar,” he said.

Thomas and his wife, Jenitza, signed a lease in late 2019 for the unit at 84B N. Village Ave., a subdivision of a former dry cleaner business, expecting to open the next year. But the COVID 19-related business shutdowns, delays to obtaining infrastructure permits, extensive reconstruction and supply chain issues contributed to the Baldwin couple’s fear that their shop might never materialize.

“Thankfully we’re at the tail end [of the pandemic] and we’re still fighting through it, but we will do the best we can to provide a great service for the community,” Thomas said. “A lot of people have been coming in saying, ‘The north side of Rockville Centre needed a place like this.’”

The colorful shop features two bars with hightop chairs, flatscreen TV menus and wallpaper filled with words and phrases such as “Cozy,” “Sugar-Free Candy,” and “Enjoy Life It’s Delicious.”

Another early customer favorite are bubble teas with flavors such as Tiramisu, coconut and lavender, as well as fruit teas of kumquat, pomegranate, guava and other varieties. The shop's many options also include four-packs of root beer, cakes, waffles and gift baskets.

This week, the Thomas’ will start serving acai bowls, are currently developing their website and a breakfast menu, and working to offer pickup and delivery for certain items.

David has a background in logistics and Jenitza in retail and customer service. They decided to leave their respective careers to venture into something new.

“We just wanted to do something fun, that our kids would enjoy coming here and be proud of, as a family business,” Thomas said. “And also something fun for the neighborhood.”