What Ever Happened To The Old Fashioned Candy Store?

In yesterday's New York Times' Food Section, there was a small mention of a candy store that feature homemade sweets. The article got me to thinking. Why aren't there more old fashioned candy stores around? What has happened to them?

When I was growing up there was Helen Elliot where you could buy hand dipped chocolate pretzels and fudge. There still is Hannah Krause which still has hand dipped strawberries and truffles but it's about the only true old fashioned store left. If you want hand dipped or home made sweets in New Jersey you have to head down to the Jersey shore. There you can buy molasses paddles , those slabs of molasses candy dipped in milk chocolate and put on top of a lollipop stick. James Candy , famous in Altantic City still has haystacks, thouse glorious mounds of milk or dark chocolate riddled with toasted coconut. Any Jersey boardwalk will serve every kind of fresh made caramel to ready dipped candy apples.

New York City has some good individual chcolate shops. There's the famous Li-Lac CHocolates located on Hudson in Greenwich Village. They have been around for eighty years or more and offer a fine assortment of chcocolates. there are even small chocolate pops for kiddies. However it's great if you live in the neighborhood or are visiting the Village. There should be more Li-Lacs in other parts of the country where old time candy goodness can be enjoyed.


There are chain candy stores, like Rocky Mounty Chocolate Factory if you want a similar taste. Their products are good The caramel and candy apples are always made the day of purchase. the chocolates are fresh as well andare appealing. Yet , one, they are expensive, and two they are a chain. The apples are five dollars a shot which makes them a once in a rare moment treat and the chcocolates are not that creative. Don't get me wrong. Rocky Mountain's are tasty but they lack the creativity an indiviual chocolatier would bring to the mix. Still the store fills a need.

Foodies ,let us know if there are any old fashioned candy stores in your area. We just might stop in and visit. it would be worth the trek, believe me.