From a '30s Shoe Store to a Warm Candy Haven: The Legacy of Economy Candy

If you’re anything like me, one of the things that you cherish about New York City is the variety of little, family-run shops that practically dominate—or at least used to dominate—the city. Sometimes we forget that these shops have real, hardworking people and a rich history behind them.

One of my favorite places in the entire city lies in the heart of one of the most historic parts of the city: the Lower East Side. At 108 Rivington Street stands the now 80-year-old candy store, Economy Candy. Packed to the ceiling with virtually every type of sugary treat from the classic chocolate bars to the myriad of jelly bean machines at the back of the shop, it delivers a bit of a sensory overload when walking in.

The atmosphere is an immediate time warp. It’s nothing like many candy stores of today, which have neon walls, bright colors everywhere, and glass cases (like Dylan’s Candy Bar or Itsugar). Rather, entering Economy Candy is like walking into a small mom-and-pop shop crowded with candies in boxes hastily put on tables and shelves. These boxes are everywhere, packed up to the ceiling and all the way to the very back of the store, making it seem as if the entire store itself is made of candy.

I knew that this little gem of a place must have a rich history as I had heard that it had been around for a while. After a quick chat with the friendly owner Mitchell Cohen, the original owner’s grandson, I found that the store has been around since 1937 and was originally a shoe store. He recounts, “Well, we used to be on the corner [of] Essex Street, and it was a shoe store. During the war, we used to get candy and sell it; it oversold the shoes and we decided, ‘Why not make this a candy store?’”

Like any store that has been around for a substantial length of time, the store has evolved with the area. Cohen recalled, “You know, in the ‘60s and ‘70s, it was really bad down here. The Lower East Side was a drug haven [with] bars; we’d close shop and look both ways to make sure we wouldn’t get mugged, you know? [There was a lot] of thievery; it wasn’t a good neighborhood.” He smiled and said, “But we held out and it got better, and look where we are now. We were at a low point and now we’re at the high [point].”

Economy Candy is the cornerstone of a cute family business. From its vast collection of familiar and rare candies to its bubbly ambiance, it has everything a kid (or an adult) could possibly dream of. It’s a historic landmark that everyone can enjoy.