In the U.S. candy is primarily purchased at either the grocery store, where it is displayed on shelves at the check-out aisle to tempt buyers (and their children) while they're waitig in line, in drug stores vide supra ;), or in gas stations or other "convenience stores."

The first time I ever heard the word "sweetmeats" was in the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream where, in the first act, Egeus complains to Theseus that Demetrius has been wooing his daughter with (among other things) "rings, gawds, conceits, knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth." Kind of like the grocery stores do to children in line.

As described above, drug stores in the U.S. traditionally sold candy and also had a soda counter, where milkshakes and ice cream sundaes were sold and consumed at a sort of bar. Some also sold hot itmes such as french fries and hamburgers. They are often seen in movies as a gathering place for young people. They have largely disappeared as the old "corner drug store" has been replaced by suburban drug store chains such as CVS or Revco.