Minnesota's Largest Candy Store owner charged over liquor-filled candy
Minnesota's Largest Candy Store opens for the season
The big yellow barn off Highway 169 in Jordan is back in business. This is the 48th year for the store in this location. As always, they offer the classics, but don't shy away from edgier options. Owner Rober Wagner says super sour candy is in this year. The shop also has more than a thousand puzzles. It opens at 8 a.m. daily. They do not accept credit or debit cards. Bring cash or a personal check, though they do have ATMs on site.
JORDAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - A popular candy shop in Jordan is now at the center of a criminal case tied to what investigators said used to be on its shelves.
How the case unfolded
Complaint pointed to a minor:
In early July, an anonymous complaint to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division said the store "sells liquor candies, and sold some to a minor child without checking the minor’s ID."
What undercover agents found
The backstory:
Three weeks later, undercover state agents went inside and found a whole "section dedicated to alcoholic beverage candies and confections," according to court records.
Investigators said the agents bought two liquor-filled products – a Jack Daniel's chocolate bar and brandy cherries – even though the store did not have a liquor license.
In court filings, they pointed out that there was not a separate procedure for purchasing alcohol-infused items.
Later that day, they returned with a search warrant and confronted owner Robert Wagner, 66, who told them he thought he could sell the liquor-filled candy, court records said.
Why the products raised concerns
What they're saying:
"I feel like that is something you should know as someone who runs a candy store," said customer Liam McSteen.
"Kids may not even know that that's what they're picking up," noted customer Eva Jackson. "It's a candy store. They think everything is safe to eat."
The charge:
Wagner, of Belle Plaine, faces a gross misdemeanor charge of selling liquor without a license. If convicted, he faces up to 364 days in jail and a $3,000 fine.
The other side:
Wagner could not be reached for comment on Sunday. A manager at the store said she had no comment.
The Source: This story includes reporting from FOX 9's Mike Manzoni and court records.