The Tooth Fairy Candy Store, owned by Aretta-Rie Johnson, is her latest endeavor to give back to her community. The store’s grand opening is on April 26.
Located at 861 Selby Ave., the Tooth Fairy Candy Store will sell candy, chips and pop in an effort to teach young Black girls about entrepreneurship and spread some joy to the community, Johnson said.
Although it is a candy store, Johnson said the Tooth Fairy stands apart because of its mission to “serve your sweet tooth responsibly.”
In the Black community there are health disparities, Johnson said, which is why the store will advocate for healthy hygiene practices by handing out free toothbrushes at Wednesday’s grand opening. The store also will have occasional visits from local dentists to teach kids how to brush properly, Johnson said.
While she is a first-time candy store owner, Johnson wears many hats including launching the DIVINE Institute in St. Paul, which offers educational summer programs for youth and DIVINE Intervention, a group home for displaced girls.
“DIVINE stands for Developing Interests Vital in Nurturing Education,” Johnson said. “Everything I do, I try to encourage youth to learn.”
Boss Up
The candy store will be the first storefront for Boss Up, a program designed by Johnson to encourage Black girls who are interested in entrepreneurship and provide hands-on training.
The members of Boss Up are from DIVINE Intervention’s group homes, Johnson said. “The girls that come through the group home have very few options, which leaves them at a disadvantage,” she said.
The girls in the program have been with Johnson through every phase of the Tooth Fairy’s creation, she said, from looking into zoning laws, to narrowing down inventory and deciding pricing.
“I like them to see me stressed out so they can see how I deal with the stress,” Johnson said. “I want them to see the highs and the lows and that you have to stick with it for it to make a difference.”
Community buzz
The candy store is bringing a lot of excitement to the neighborhood, said Jens Werner, executive director for the Summit-University Planning Council, which exists to make sure neighbors have a say in what happens in their neighborhoods.
In recent years, the council has focused on helping community businesses in any way they can, said Werner, adding that she will be at Wednesday’s grand opening to offer professional face painting.
The Tooth Fairy will be situated at the corner of Victoria Street and Selby Avenue in a building that Johnson said has been in her family for more than 40 years.
The building was first gifted to her uncle, Rev. Walter L. Battle, who operated the Institute of Learning and only had to pay the utilities. When Johnson’s uncle died in 1995, the building went to her mother who ran a quilt shop under the same agreement until her passing in 2021, when Johnson officially purchased the building.
“[She] is a descendant of Rondo,” Werner said, referring to the historically Black St. Paul neighborhood. “Her family has been doing important work in the community for such a long time.”
Johnson, who is almost done with her doctoral degree in education leadership, said there is a buzz in the community about the store opening. “People are really talking about it,” she said. “We are representing our community and our culture.”
The children who walk by the candy store are excited to see folks working there who look like them, Johnson said. “It’s all about giving back,” she said.
Tooth Fairy Candy Store grand opening
- Event starts at 2 p.m. Wednesday at 861 Selby Ave.
- Ribbon cutting ceremony is at 3 p.m.
- Toothbrushes and face painting will be available.