Spun Sugar Shoppe opens in downtown Brighton

BRIGHTON — Whimsical candy store owner Mandy Tamborini made a big move into a small space this spring.

Tamborini has relocated Spun Sugar Shoppe to a suite in downtown Brighton. The space at 213 W. Main St. is about a quarter the size of the shop she had in Green Oak Township near South Lyon, but she's been able to pack it full of her signature cotton candies, other candies and cookies, and children's toys.

"It's my baby candy shop," she said of the space, which is slightly less than 300 square feet.

Some magical friends moved with her. "Annabelle Pop-Tart," a life-sized ostrich statue, is hanging out in a corner of the shop. A bust of Marie Antoinette with a cotton candy-like hairdo greets customers. A silver robot is outside in the hallway. Tamborini said "Flossy Von Sparkle," a life-sized stuffed unicorn, will "make guest appearances outside" from time to time.

"Brighton is such a booming community right now," Tamborini said. "It's a busy Main Street. When we opened the candy shop (in South Lyon), it was a destination (where customers would drive to visit).

"I wanted to be more local to the community, where you can walk in. This is more of a grab-and-go."

Tamborini is keeping the South Lyon storefront at 10630 Rushton Road to eventually convert into an event space for birthday parties and other gatherings. She's using the commercial kitchen in the back to spin cotton candy, fill orders and prep for events.

She first opened the shop in 2020 to sell her Spun Sugar Detroit products. She launched the line in 2016 out of a shared commercial kitchen in Redford. At the time, she sold cotton candy from vintage mobile carts at private and corporate events with help from her twin sister Megan Young. Tamborini said she's up to five mobile cotton candy carts now, which people book for events.

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Aside from sweets, one of the store's top sellers is squeezable squishy toys.

Benny Anderson, a store employee, said squishies "are very viral right now."

"Even people my age use them a lot," Anderson, 19, said. "Many people in high school and middle school, too. It's like another fidget toy, but it feels a lot better. They'll bring them to school all the time."

Tamborini said she plans to celebrate the new location with a grand opening party sometime this fall.

— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at [email protected]. 

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Spun Sugar Shoppe opens in downtown Brighton