Dum Dums

What it is

Small, bright lollipops on a looped stick, in a long list of flavors.

The story

• 1924: first made by Akron Candy Company, Akron, Ohio.
• 1953: Spangler Candy Company takes over.

Fun facts

• Sales manager I. C. Bahr picked the name because any child could say it.
• The 1924 flavors were lemon, lime, orange, coconut-pineapple, cherry, grape and butterscotch.
• The Mystery flavor is what happens where one batch runs into the next.
• About 12 million are made a day.

Are Dum Dums still made?

Yes. Dum Dums are still made, by Spangler Candy Company, Bryan, Ohio. Look for it at candy shops that stock old-fashioned candy, or search for Dum Dums on Amazon.

If you like Dum Dums

• Sugar Daddy (1925): A hard, slow-melting block of caramel on a stick.
• Tootsie Pop (1931): A hard candy lollipop with a chewy Tootsie Roll center.
• Astro Pops (1963): A tall, see-through, three-color cone lollipop shaped like a rocket.
• Blow Pop (1973): A hard candy lollipop with bubble gum in the middle.

See every candy from the 1920s or all lollipops.