It’s nearly impossible to miss the expansive and colorful outpost of sweets “Dylan’s Candy Bar” at the corner of 60th St. & Third Ave., right across the street from Bloomingdale’s. It’s obvious from the signage that this store is a purveyor of sugary goodness, but what you may not know just from looking at it is that it’s one of the largest candy stores in the world. Besides this particular behemoth of bonbons, Dylan’s has locations in East Hampton & Garden City New York, Houston, and Orlando with plans for expansion in major cosmopolitan areas including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and London. The Manhattan area W Hotels and the New York Regency also carry Dylan’s Candy so be sure to check the mini bar for their hand crafted goodies.
So who is this Dylan character? The owner, native New Yorker Dylan Lauren, has built a multifaceted candy empire of sorts. Being the daughter of another empire builder, Ralph Lauren, it may have been partially woven into her. The obvious question is of course, why not the family business? Dylan’s answer was simple: “I always loved design, art, and fashion, but I wanted to apply that to candy; it’s my passion. I didn’t really want to work in the ‘fashion industry;’ I have my dad for that.” Dylan’s myriad interests and skills, combined with her love of all aspects candy, have come together in perfect harmony at Dylan’s Candy Bar. While father Ralph may have lent her some of the entrepreneurial spirit and big-picture vision that has expanded Dylan’s from one Upper East Side candy emporium to a multi-faceted corporation with 5 stores nationwide and more in the works, Dylan has still done it her way. 
When asked if this was a hobby that grew into a real business, Dylan responded, “As soon as I came up with the concept, I knew this was the real deal. I think in college I simply loved candy. I traveled all over the world looking for candy packaging, art, and things made out of candy -- but after graduation I got a business plan together and set out to make candy my livelihood.” Not everyone saw it as clearly as Dylan did right away. In fact, when she told people that she was going to open the biggest candy store in the world most people we skeptical to say the least. “One person actually asked me, ‘How do you think you’re going to pay the rent on a place that size in Manhattan selling 5 cent pieces of Bazooka?’”
The dazzling array of colors when you enter is the first clue that this is not your average candy shop. If you’re thinking Willy Wonka, you’re on the right track. If you’re imagining the candy aisle at your local drug store, you are not on the right track. From any one of the three street-level entrances you’ll be confronted by obelisks of jellybeans and hard candies topped with giant mock lollipops and wallpaper with hundreds of different candies on it. You may even come face-to-face with a life-size mock-chocolate bunny. The northwest quadrant of the building is where you will find the stairs and elevator that grant access to all three floors. The lower level is a cornucopia of goodies including candy clothing and accessories, the largest vintage candy collection in the world, the chocolate section, and my personal favorite, a wall of individually cased sweets autographed by actors, celebs, and sports personalities. Each signed a case with their favorite type of candy inside -- and you heard it here first: Bill Clinton loves PayDay's. If instead of descending, you climb the acrylic staircase (which of course has various candies built into it) look over to the right and you’ll see a present that Dylan received from the folks at Jelly Belly: a fresco of her headshot comprised entirely of jellybeans. Upstairs is a large open space perfect for parties offering fudge, coffee, and a cadre of ice cream selections to join the full café now including a recently acquired liquor license, putting the bar in “candy bar.” (Making it a great space for adult parties as well.)
What possessed Dylan Lauren to open such a place, besides her proclivity for the board game Candy Land? “I’ve always loved the fantastical environments, where retail and entertainment intersect, like Niketown and FAO Schwartz.” Dylan’s own products go pretty far beyond Snickers bars. Candy pajamas, T-shirts, and accessories like lunchboxes and jewelry are just a few of the non-edible items in her store. Another initiative that Lauren is very happy with is their “Re-Treat” body products which are available at several retailers including Sephora and Urban Outfitters, as well as on their web site. Among these items is a Coconut Bon-Bon Candy Butter Body Cream so sweet smelling you’ll actually want to eat it. However, if that urge strikes, you should probably make haste to Dylan’s Candy Bar and differ to one of the other, tastier, solid or liquid libations. Somewhere in the 15,000 square feet of delectability you’re sure to find something that satisfies your sweet tooth; and besides, at $22 for 8oz the Candy Butter Cream would be a pretty expensive snack.
At this point, you might be wondering where Dylan Lauren goes for dessert. “I think Max Brenner is really great.” Said Lauren “I’m not a huge chocolate person, I’m usually more of a gummy girl, but I love his crazy ideas like pizza with marshmallows and fudge on it. He has a very unique style.”
Dylan is also in the process of trademarking the furniture and fixtures in her store for expansion, like the lollipop end pieces for books, the starlight stools, and the candy tables. Will Dylan Lauren’s designs remain only in her candy bars around the globe, or will they be the second generation of Lauren gear to infiltrate the domestic sector? Stay tuned, because her combination of charm, intelligence, and passion for all things sweet beats Wonka’s formula of 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple any day of the week.
1011 Third Ave. (60th St.), 646-735-0078; www.dylanscandybar.com
