Located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Economy Candy, is THE haven for sweet-toothed candy lovers. And it isn’t your typical candy shop.
The store is stocked with floor-to-ceiling displays of over 2,000 different types of candies from all over the world, even candy that isn’t made anymore.
The store first “opened” in 1937 as a candy cart in front of Morris “Moishe” Cohen’s hat and shoe repair shop. During the Great Depression, Moishe’s cart offered gratifying sweet treats to recently laid-off workers.
Economy Candy has remained in the Cohen family for over eight decades. Moishe’s son Jerry and his wife Ilene took over the candy shop in the 80’s and ran it together for over 30 years. Now their son Mitchell operates the place with his wife. Mitchell began working at the shop on weekends as a reprieve from his demanding Wall Street job. Eventually, he realized he wanted to be in the family business full-time. “Nothing is dull in here. There is so much variety. So much color,” said Mitchell.
He is committed to making every customer happy. “If you don’t see it, it’s probably not made anymore – but I will find it for you,” he says.
So whether you are looking for German Haribo gummy candies, or you want to try one of the nine varieties of Japanese KitKats, or if you have a hankering for some other sweet confection from your youth, make sure to visit Economy Candy on your next trip to downtown Manhattan.
