Just under the elevated Skyway tram in downtown Jacksonville awaits a house with quite the history.

There's a sweet secret behind the white façade of the former Seminole Club that was built more than 100 years ago.

"Welcome to Sweet Pete's and the Candy Apple Café," said a woman clad in an apron on the sprawling front porch.

There's a castle rebuilt for sugar situated beyond the enormous flowers that looks as if they came from Munchkinland from "The Wizard of Oz."

"It's our No. 1 selling candy," the greeter says, urging a visitor to reach into her basket.

Welcome to Sweet Pete's. Also known as "Sugar Heaven," as visitor Stacy Myers, a Jacksonville bank manager, explains it.

Inside this manor saved from the list of Jacksonville's most threatened historic properties rests Stacy’s divine respite.

"I found chocolate downstairs," said Katie Leavy, who was visiting from Maryland.

The confectionery cravings for sale on the first floor come thanks to the man whose statue is standing on the steps.

"Most people call me Sweet Pete now," said Peter Behringer, with a wide grin.

Behringer is a modern day Willy Wonka.

"A lot of candy is made in secret," Behringer said. "You don't know how it's made, and so we take you through the process."

Folks can tour the stately manor, where the walls are filled with every kind of candy you can imagine. There's even fresh cotton candy available. All you have to do is ask.

Behringer's mother also made candy. She took his name Peter and his sister's name Brooke and formed Peterbrooke. Today, Pete's 100-year-old building sells candy on the first floor and upstairs.

It's from the second level where you can stare down into the kitchen and see the workers that make it happen. 

At Sweet Pete's, they are human, not Oompa Loompas.

"We have the sweetest type of candy you can imagine," Behringer said, also noting they have milkshakes in "wild flavors."

There's even more upstairs on the third floor of this land of candy. There's a classroom where weekly classes are held.

"We made lollipops," Myers said.

Myers and her coworkers from EverBank came together for a sweeter form of team building. But making a lollipop turned out to be a bit harder than they originally thought.

"You think you need to make a little swirl, but it hardens up (and the) stick won't go in," Myers said after rolling a candy cane-looking stick into a lollipop.

Meanwhile, Leavy made some sweet memories with her grandparents.

"I will remember it was fun," she said.

DESTINATION INFORMATION
Sweet Pete's
 

Location:
Jacksonville, Duval County

Hours:
Monday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday through Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Class schedule:
Click here

Admission:
Free

Classes:
$15

Parking:
Valet and on-street meters available

Address:
400 N. Hogan St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone:
904-376-7161

Website:
http://www.sweetpetescandy.com/

GPS Coordinates:
Latitude: 30.33014
Longitude: -81.660055

Latitude: 30° 19' 48.504"
Longitude: -81° 39' 36.1974"

Drive Times:


From Orlando: 2, hours, 45 minutes
From Tampa: 3 hours, 50 minutes

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