Under the circus sideshow banners of Big Top Candy Shop's new Hyde Park location, there's a sugary realm of candies both modern and nostalgic. Owner Brandon Hodge has brought his beloved South Congress destination to Central Austin, opening the doors at 417 E. 43rd Street on January 31, 2026.
For Hodge, candy connects to memory. "There was a little tin-roofed, dirt-floor shack of a convenience store in Mauriceville, Texas," he recalls of his childhood summers. "After swimming, I'd get two tubes of Sixlets and a Big Red. I would down a tube of Sixlets and the Big Red, then savor the second tube."
The new location features the same circus-and-sideshow theme that made the original famous: walls covered in distinctive yellow and maroon stripes, freshly-painted canvas circus posters featuring characters like Fifi the Gummi Brained Gal and Lil' Bubblegum Bob, plus bins and shelves filled with every sweet treat imaginable.
From best sellers like Hershey's to imported delights like twisting Curly Wurlies, vintage treats like Mallo Cups, and gourmet handcrafted truffles, there's something for everyone. Hodge is also bringing a vintage hotdog machine from the Sanitary Hot Dog Company, with plans for an old-school soda station like the one at South Congress.
The second location came about almost accidentally. One day Hodge was having breakfast at Julio's Cafe on Duval and saw that the shoe shop around the corner was closing. In a familiar chain of events, he asked around and signed the lease.
Hodge sees himself as defending a great American tradition. "There's an 'à la recherche du temps perdu' moment somewhere on these shelves for everybody," he says, referencing Proust's exploration of memory and sensation.
The grand opening celebration featured face painting, candy tasting, and a full day of sugary delights. For Hyde Park families, Big Top represents exactly the kind of neighborhood gem that makes Austin special — a place where childhood memories are made and preserved, one candy at a time.