Z&H Candy evokes memories from long ago
By RACHEL STRICKLAND | Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR
It’s not often that you come across an old-timey candy and soda shop anymore. You know, the ones that have an extra “P” and “E” on the end of the word “shop,” which somehow makes them seem more vintage and fun. But in the newly renovated Katy Building in downtown Belton sits Z&H Old-Fashioned Candy, Toys, and Soda, a quaint shop that will transport you to a bygone era.
Virginia Benavidez, owner and operator of Z&H, says she first visited Belton with her husband a few years ago.
“We often do that,” she says. “We’ll go to towns in the Central Texas area and just spend the weekend there. And when we came to Belton, we were quite charmed by it.”
The couple was living in an apartment in Austin, expecting their second child, and they were ready to move into a more affordable living situation. Belton seemed like a good fit. Virginia says she immediately noticed that Belton didn’t have a candy or toy store, which a lot of smaller Texas towns have. When she heard about the renovations happening in the Katy Building, she thought it was the perfect time and place to open a store of her own.
“Initially, I had this vision of one of those shops where you see them pulling taffy and making fudge, and it’s a nice vision, but I don’t know how to pull taffy or make fudge,” she says. “However, I have a lot of experience pouring drinks.”
At that point, Virginia started working with a company in Chicago that refurbishes old soda fountains, and she set to work figuring out how to turn the 400-square-foot space into Z&H, which opened in September 2023.
Virginia has a full-time job separate from Z&H, but she says it’s boring office work, so having a passion project keeps things interesting and gives her a creative outlet. She has four other employees in addition to herself and her husband, who works full-time at Bold Republic Brewing in Temple.
The name Z&H honors the family’s dearly departed cats, Ziggy and Harvey, who are each represented in the company’s logo. Ziggy’s face is next to the Z and Harvey’s is next to the H. “Harvey really did have a whisker that came up and curled around his eye like a monocle,” Virginia says of the logo.
Virginia tries to get most of her outsourced inventory from local stores. Z&H offers ice cream from Freezing Point in Temple, lollipops from Lollies by Leah in Austin, handmade wooden toys from a couple in the Belton/Temple area, and children’s books from local authors.
You can get hand-pulled sodas at Z&H, which will be a blast from the past for many. These sodas are made by pumping soda syrup into a glass, putting it under the soda fountain, and pulling, or jerking, on the tap, which is where the term “soda jerk” comes from. Z&H offers regular sodas, too, as well as floats and specialty drinks like egg creams, chocolate sodas and freezes.
There is also bulk wrapped candy, which is the only product at Z&H that is sourced outside of Texas. They do a pick-and-mix style where customers fill a bag with as much candy as they can for a flat rate.
“I had kids in mind in two different ways (with the bulk candy),” Virginia says. “One was making sure that the candy we offered was wrapped and not just out in the open. And two, we don’t weigh the candy — it’s a flat rate. And so, kids really get a kick out of seeing how much they can stuff in their bags because the price doesn’t change. Some kids take that as a challenge.”
There are plenty of events happening at Z&H, including three recurring monthly events. Rock and Read is a collaboration with Blackbird Books & Spirits. During this event, the folks at Blackbird choose a children’s book and buy several copies to be given away to the kids at the event. Someone from Blackbird will read the book, while Virginia plays music that she’s written to go with the story.
The second recurring event is the Craft and Coloring Concert where Virginia sets up craft supplies in the common area of the Katy Building, and kids in the community can show up, grab a craft, and maybe a slice of pizza from Pizza PieRos, right across from Z&H.
The third event, the monthly Bell County Birthday Bash, doesn’t take place in the Katy Building, but it’s one where Virginia provides candy as a donation, and she performs music with her children’s band, The Bobas. She and some friends started this event to provide a free party for kids in the community. The bash usually takes place at a playground or a splash pad, and there are a variety of fun activities from vendors who want to offer their services to the community for free.
“I think it can be hard for parents that want to give their kids a great birthday party but often lack the time and the resources to throw them a big party,” Virginia says.
All kinds of people come into Z&H, including families, moms and kids, college students, and people from older generations looking for some nostalgia.
“Our mission statement is: ‘To conjure and create sweet memories across our community,’” Virginia says. “We want to conjure up memories, or create sweet memories for those who haven’t yet gotten a chance to experience something special like this little nostalgic candy and soda shop.”
Z&H Old-Fashioned Candy, Toys, and Soda
Address: 203 North East Street in Belton
Phone: 254-613-4068
Website: www.zandhcandy.com
Social Media: www.instagram.com/zandhcandy
