WEST COLUMBIA, Texas — A small candy and snack shop in West Columbia is turning freeze-dried treats, viral food challenges and nostalgic candy into a local business with personality.
Nina’s Nuggets, owned by Nina Wagner, offers freeze-dried candy and specialty snacks from its storefront on Brazos Avenue.
But the idea did not start as a candy business.
Wagner said she first learned to freeze dry food after her husband was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She wanted to give him the best food possible, which led her into gardening and preserving food.
When her husband later injured himself, the couple had to sell their property. Wagner said that meant giving up the larger yard and garden she had been used to.
“I got kind of bored,” Wagner said.
That is when she started experimenting with freeze-dried candy.
About a year and a half ago, she began selling at markets. Before opening the current storefront, Nina’s Nuggets also operated out of a small indoor market on the same street in West Columbia.
Wagner said the business moved into its current location around February and opened around March after painting and getting the space ready.
The response from customers has been encouraging, she said, even as she continues working to get the word out.
“When people come in here, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know you were here. This is awesome. I love your store,’” Wagner said.
Kids have been some of the biggest fans.
Wagner said children around 6 to 8 years old will come in and ask if they can come back the next day.
The store carries freeze-dried candy along with several viral snack items and challenges, including the world’s sourest candy, the world’s hottest chocolate bar, the world’s hottest gummy bear and the world’s hottest lollipop.
For first-time visitors, the shop offers something different from a regular candy aisle. It mixes novelty snacks, social-media trends and treats that give customers something fun to try or share.
One of Wagner’s most memorable moments came from a young customer who had just reached a major personal milestone.
She said an 11-year-old girl had rung the cancer bell, and one of the first things she asked was whether she could go to Nina’s Nuggets.
For Wagner, moments like that help show what the store can mean to families beyond just selling candy.
The business is still growing. Wagner said Nina’s Nuggets does not yet have its large sign outside, but that step is already in motion.
“I feel like I’ll really be a store once that sign goes up,” she said.
Like many small businesses, Nina’s Nuggets is relying on local support, word-of-mouth and social media to reach more customers.
Wagner said getting the word out has been one of the harder parts of running the business, but she continues promoting the shop on Facebook and through the community.
Nina’s Nuggets is located in West Columbia and offers freeze-dried candy, novelty treats and viral snack challenges for customers looking for something different.
Residents can follow Nina’s Nuggets online for updates, new items and specials.
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