Wheeling's America's Market shop goes retro

America's Market in Wheeling brings customers back to the time of old fashioned root beer, candy buttons and pop rocks.

The specialty food store at 9 Huntington Lane features thousands of products produced mainly by smaller businesses across the United States.

"About 95 percent of what I sell is American made products," said owner Todd Schultheis of Lake Zurich. He operates the shop with business partner, Bryan Fellhauer of Elgin.

The shop specializes in glass bottled sodas.

"I believe we have the largest selection of bottled sodas around. We have 250 now," he said. Top sellers include Ale-8-One, Moxie, a peppery Alabama ginger ale dating back to 1901, and Blenheim, which is the most popular pick. He also carries more than 45 different root beers. The Abita and Bull Dog root beer lines have recently rated on top during taste tests at the shop.

An array of retro candy is another big attraction. The shop also carries bulk candy from Albanese in Maryville, Ind.

"The shop has the feel of an old fashioned candy store. That's what I'm going for. Kids don't have that anymore," Schultheis said.

He said customers always leave smiling.

"It's like going through memory lane," he said.

While the business is small, the owner said sales have grown 40 percent over last year. About half his products are in the store because shoppers have recommended them.

The gift basket aspect of the business has been growing. Many of the baskets focus on regional food items such as food from Kathy's Kitchen, a family-owned small business in Virginia, Ill. Pickles, jellies and relishes are her specialty.

Schultheis has many specialty items including the P.B. Loco flavored peanut butter line from Minnesota, Alaska Birch Syrup and Bridgeport Coffee.

He features hot sauces, 20 different salsas, mustards, jams and jellies and about 30 barbecue sauces, including Curley's from Kansas and Uncle Mel's line of Wheeling.

The idea for the business developed from Schultheis' hobby of finding local food items while traveling. He wanted to bring all these local foods under one roof.

Schultheis, an Arlington Heights native, runs an 11-year-old real estate business, Welcome Home Realty, from the store.

America's Market is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call (847) 850-2563.

• Kim Mikus covers small business and retail. She welcomes comments at (847) 427-4567 or kmikus@dailyherald.com.