Lights! Camera! Candy!

If the blinking lights adorning the sign outside the Hollywood Candy store aren't enough to grab your attention, the miniature carousel outside just might.The life-sized, realistic statue of John Wayne, standing inside the door holding out a plate is the next shock to the senses as you enter this colorful world of something so wonderful, it will whisk you away to your childhood: candy.

Rows upon rows of the mouth-watering, devilishly scrumptious and colorful candies line the walls, seemingly stretching into infinity. Bright red baskets are stuffed full with sweets like salt-water taffy made especially for the store from Seattle. Glass jars are almost overflowing with licorice, candy corn, bubble gum, jelly beans, mints-almost anything your mind can think of.

Mixed with the warm, sweet smell of popcorn and sugar, you'll be helpless against the power of the candy. There is even gag candy, like real scorpion, margarita and tequila with worm suckers.

The gaze of various Hollywood celebrities like Elvis, from his cardboard cutout, and Marilyn Monroe, from her lovely tin can lid, watch as you painstakingly decide what type of candy to pick.

Despite only having been open since April, the candy store, located on the corner of 13th and Howard Streets in the Old Market, offers a variety of candy and services. Customers can buy corporate gifts, Hollywood gift collectables, PEZ products and nostalgic candies. Candy can also be ordered if you don't see it in the store.

"People love their candy," said Elijah Goodwin, an employee at Hollywood Candy. "People walk in and see the vintage candy and say, 'I remember this!'"

What makes the store unique is, in fact, its vast array of vintage candies like Abba Zabba or Zagnut. The store offers thousands of pieces of nostalgic, movie, penny and novelty candies.

Merely stepping into the store can transport you back to an old-style candy store. By gazing up at the tin ceiling or down at the red and yellow floor tiles, customers are transported back to a 1940s or '50s candy store.

Customer service also makes shopping at Hollywood Candy a very unique experience, said Jacob Nordstrom, a fellow coworker of Goodwin. The employees are quick to say hello and ask how customers are doing so they feel welcomed right away. After that, they are available to answer questions and assist with getting candy out of the jars.

"It's just a fun place," said Nordstrom. "We are usually very happy here.it's just a really positive environment.