Car Crashes into All City Candy Just Before Valentine’s Day, But the Candy Queen Won’t Let It Stop Her

RICHMOND HEIGHTS, OH — A Jeep crashed into All City Candy in Richmond Heights on Super Bowl Sunday, shattering the storefront just hours before one of the busiest candy-buying weeks of the year. Despite the damage, Founder and Operator, Elisabeth Sapell assured customers that the beloved candy superstore would remain open, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

“It’s not really a remodel, it’s really just putting things back in place and it’s going to take a while to get the windows and the doors, but we will be in business; we will still be happy and friendly and spreading all the sweetness we can,” Sapell said.

The crash occurred around 4 p.m. when a white Jeep plowed through the front of the store, located across from the former Richmond Mall. According to Sapell, the driver accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake, sending the vehicle through the glass storefront and into the shop.

“I guess someone thought we had a drive-through…we’ve never, at All City Candy, had a drive-through…well, until Sunday,” she joked. “It was a total accident. It was not malicious, it was not on purpose, the poor guy stepped on the gas instead of the brake and went right through the front window.”

Although the damage was extensive, no one was hurt. Sapell credited the swift response of first responders, her landlord, and the repair crews for quickly securing the building.

“Richmond Heights police, the fire department—kudos. They were amazing. They secured the building, and then my landlord is awesome, and he called a rescue team that came right out. They were here until 1:30 a.m. putting the wall up, then back this morning at 8 a.m. finishing it off,” she said.

Sapell recounted the aftermath, describing how glass flew to the back of the store and a freezer near the front was completely mangled. “If a car can do that to a freezer, could you imagine what it could have done to one of our team members?” she said.

The store was closed for only one day before reopening on Tuesday, a feat Sapell credited to the dedication of her team and the support of the local community.

“When I came in, I saw my team members all here, first thing in the morning, ready to put the store back together and do whatever they could do, and really in good spirits,” she said.

Customers, some who had never visited before, flocked to the store after hearing about the accident.

“They got some things; they had a good time and hopefully will come back forever,” Sapell said.

Cleveland 13’s Gremi, host of “Cleve-It To Us,” weighed in on the accident and encouraged people to support the shop.

“I think we should all throw money at them, there are very few businesses as deserving as All City Candy,” he said. “This is why small businesses are important; they’re the foundation of America. I call her the Candy Queen of Cleveland because nobody knows more about candy than Elisabeth...but at the heart of it, she’s the sweetest person. She supports small businesses, not just her own, and this is why all of us should go and get our Valentine’s Day candy at All City.”

Sapell, who has been a vocal advocate for small businesses in Northeast Ohio, embraced the title.

“I proudly wear that crown, and yes, I will take that title any day,” she said.

As her store continues repairs, she reminded customers that shopping local makes a difference.

“Whether it’s me or your friend’s clothing store, or your wine shop; support us local people, we’re the ones who give back to the community,” she said. “Stop and take a moment and buy something. Small, big, whatever. Say hello, support them.”

Despite the chaos, Sapell and her team are ready for the Valentine’s Day rush.

“Any of our chocolate treats. Like the pretzels, the Oreos, and we will be doing chocolate-covered strawberries Friday and Saturday. We only do those twice a year, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day,” she said.

Reflecting on the accident, Sapell remains grateful that no one was hurt.

“That driver was just as devastated as we were. It was a true accident, and I could see how devastated he was and his main concern was ‘is everyone okay.’ We all have accidents, we do,” she said.

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Transparency Notice: The owner of All City Candy is married to a member of the Cleveland 13 Advisory Board. This connection does not affect the newsworthiness of this story, nor was the decision to cover it influenced by their relationship. The reporter was unaware of this connection at the time of publication. However, in the interest of full transparency, we want to disclose this information and reaffirm that this story was published based on its importance to the community. Cleveland 13 News remains committed to journalistic integrity, and this is a story that has also been covered by multiple news outlets.