For more than 12 years, Fear’s Confections has been cranking out hand-crafted chocolatey sweets—first as a home-based business and later as a retail storefront. This Saturday, Oct. 1, the shop will celebrate its eighth birthday, as well as it’s upcoming expansion.

Confection lovers from across Northeast Ohio are invited to drop in the shop on Madison Avenue in Lakewood on Saturday to experience the hand-made sweets and nerdy, rockabilly vibe that define the shop that offers “sweets to die for” and participate in a neighborhood scavenger hunt.

The anniversary event will feature a scavenger hunt of neighboring businesses, local vendors like Burning River Roller Derby, and a raffle. Robert with Cleveland Magic and Balloons will also be in the shop

“We strive to be different than the typical sweet shop,” says Cassandra Fear, owner and chief confectioner. “Everything we sell is small-batch, from-scratch desserts, made right here in the shop from quality ingredients that you can pronounce.”

Customers can enjoy a variety of hand-dipped and hand-molded chocolates, from Fear’s signature caramels, peanut butter cups, and sponge candy to seasonal creations like caramel and candy apples. Fear’s also offers 25 unique flavors of gourmet brownies. Year-round specialty chocolates feature Star Wars and Doctor Who themes, or coffins, tombstones, and chocolate barks.

The shop showcases art and other offerings from local makers including the current featured artists, comics legends Gary and Laura Dumm of DummArt.

Fear’s Confections recently expanded into the neighboring storefront and now offers pints of scratch-made ice creams in the original storefront—a preview the spring 2023 second storefront opening, which will be a full-service ice cream shop.

Fear’s Confections recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds for the
expansion, which will allow Fear’s to offer more community events, fundraisers for local organizations, more space for local artists, and larger kitchen and counter spaces for candy and ice cream treats.

Fear’s Confections officially launched in March 2010 as an online, licensed in-home brownie business that expanded into chocolates a year later. In 2013, Fear opened her first storefront, on East 185 Street in North Collinwood. In 2014 Fear’s Confections moved to its current location at 15200 Madison Ave. in Lakewood.

The scavenger hunt and birthday festivities run from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1. Cleveland Magic and Balloons will be at the shop from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and the shop is open until 9 p.m.