Trust Good Ship Lollipop to satisfy your sweet tooth
by Brittney Wright
The year is 2006. The MV Islander, a ferry operated by the Steamship Authority, is in the process of being decommissioned after almost 60 years of carrying tourists and locals alike across the seven-mile gap between the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard. It has been 72 years since Shirley Temple first charmed the world as she belted out her adorable song On the Good Ship Lollipop in the 1934 film Bright Eyes.
And right at the end of Circuit Avenue in the heart of Oak Bluffs, one woman is preparing to let one of her long-time dreams come true.
“I always told people jokingly that I would open a candy shop because it was always in the back of my mind,” says Good Ship Lollipop’s owner Marguerite Cook.
After retiring, Cook was shuffling through a bunch of old photos when she came across a snapshot of her mother holding a doll and a big, swirly lollipop. It was then that she decided to open her own candy shop.
In a combination that pays homage to the decommissioned Islander, Shirley Temple’s cheerful melody and a mother’s sweet tooth, the Good Ship Lollipop candy store was born. And the shop is indeed a haven for both the young and old.
“I think sometimes I have more adults that come in! They’re all children when they come in the door,” says Cook.
Part of Good Ship Lollipop’s success is staying true to old-fashioned roots while exploring an entirely new domain of sweets; both adults and children delight in finding classics like candy necklaces, Mint Juleps chews, and Necco banana splits in the store.
Cook has also brought in an entirely new wave of confections into the huge glass candy counter at the back of the store. A bountiful selection of vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free chocolates are available at Good Ship Lollipop, and there is quite the demand for these deliciously modified treats.
“There are so many people who can only have sugar-free or vegan chocolates, and it has certainly grown into something that a lot of people come in for,” says Cook.
A steady stream of children’s tunes fill the store, making it hard not to feel reminiscent of your adolescence. Shelves and tables are stuffed with peach rings, bright pink rolls of bubble gum, chewy rainbow strings, bars of Baby Ruths, and strips of taffy. The glass counters by the register house a huge selection of chocolates, from delightful caramel turtles to peppermint patties and chunks of fresh fudge, many of which Cook makes fresh in the store, right in front of your eyes. Whether you’re a child, teen or adult doesn’t matter –– as long as you have a sweet tooth, you’re welcome here.
“People come in and if they don’t already have a smile on their face, they have one when they go out,” laughs Cook. And it’s really no surprise; the combination of familiar favorites, childlike atmosphere, and just plain delicious sweets is enough to coax a grin from anyone. Next time your sweet tooth needs to be fed, hop aboard the Good Ship Lollipop. We promise there’s enough giant swirly lollipops to go around.
MORE INFO:
61 Circuit Avenue, Oak Bluffs MA
Open daily 10 AM to 10 PM
508-693-0326
