Silky Gem, which offers crystal candies inspired by Vietnamese Lunar new year traditions, is now open at 332 Main St in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood. The store has been described as the first crystal candy shop to open in the United States (photos below).
The shop has held a few events prior to its grand opening and offers a variety of the same crystal candies many have seen on the Silky Gem social media accounts. The grand opening was initially scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 24th, but had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, opening earlier this week. Store hours are 12pm-8pm daily, closed on Tuesdays.
About owner Gia Huynh: “Growing up in a financially disadvantaged family in Vietnam, I couldn’t even guarantee finishing fifth grade. I’ve always carried a sense of insecurity about my background and education. However, as I grew up and faced many life challenges, destiny took an unexpected turn. About 3.5 years ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I found myself homeless with my 5-week-old baby.
Despite these hardships, I worked tirelessly day and night to make something extraordinary happen. Eventually, destiny smiled upon me, and I founded Silky Gem. At that time, I was working in a nail salon, making $400-$500 a week as a single mom. I’d work from 9 AM to 7 PM at the salon, then return home to spend time with my son before staying up until 3 or 4 in the morning, crafting candies and content.
After three months of relentless effort, we finally had a breakthrough when we achieved a significant sales milestone, and from there, everything took off. In just 18 months, Silky Gem has sold over 2 million pieces of candy and more than 160,000 collection boxes, with our success reaching a global audience. We even received recognition from Cardi B for our candies.”
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