Ray's Candy Store

Ray's Candy Store

Front of Ray's Candy Store, December 2011, featuring awning by Chico Ray Alvarez
Type	Private
Industry	Deli
Founded	1974
Headquarters	Lower East Side, New York City, 113 Avenue A
Key people	Ray Alvarez

Ray's Candy Store is a New York City deli that has existed in the Lower East Side^[1] since 1974.

Overview

It is operated by Ray Alvarez and serves an eclectic mix of foods, including soft serve egg creams, ice cream, Belgian fries, and Obama coffee.^[2]

Alvarez showing off his new crepe machine in 2011

Alvarez was born on January 25, 1933 and moved to New York in 1964, where he worked for another decade as a dishwasher in New York until he paid $30,000 for the candy store in 1974.

During the 2008 election, Ray added the name Obama to many of the items served there without changing the nature of the items (e.g. Obama Burger).

Outside of Ray's Candy Store

In early 2010, Ray's Candy Store has once again been having problems staying open, which has been the subject of much press.^[3][4][5]

References

1. ^ "Ray's Candy Store – East Village – New York Store & Shopping Guide". Nymag.com. http://nymag.com/listings/stores/rays-candy-store/#content. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 
2. ^ "Scoopy's Notebook". Thevillager.com. http://www.thevillager.com/villager_299/scoopysnotebook.html. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 
3. ^ Moynihan, Colin (January 17, 2010). "With Rent Woes, Ray’s Candy Store Faces Threat of Padlock". Tompkins Square Park (NYC): NYTimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/nyregion/18candy.html. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 
4. ^ "Scoopy's Notebook". Thevillager.com. February 3, 2009. http://www.thevillager.com/villager_300/scoopysnotebook.html. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 
5. ^ Del, John (January 7, 2010). "Ray's Candy Store, Ave A Institution, Threatened with Closure". Gothamist. http://gothamist.com/2010/01/07/rays_candy_store_avenue_a_instituti.php. Retrieved February 4, 2010. 

Further reading

• Abramovitch, Ilana, and Seán Galvin. Jews of Brooklyn. Brandeis series in American Jewish history, culture, and life. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England [for] Brandeis University Press, 2002. Discussion about egg creams.
• Levine, Ed. New York Eats (More). New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 1997. p. 159. Description of specialty egg creams.

External links

• Ray's Candy Store Myspace page