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Dylan's raises the bar for candy stores
Willy Wonka has nothing on Manhattan's new sweet spot, Dylan's Candy Bar. With 2,500-plus SKUs from around the world and a playful, candy-inspired store design, the 5,500-sq.-ft. emporium is billed as the ultimate destination for sweets lovers of all ages. New Yorkers apparently agree-Dylan's has been pulling in crowds since it opened in October. The owners are already laying the groundwork to take the concept nationwide.
"This formula should translate around the country," says co-founder Jeff Rubin. "We see the potential for a big rollout."
Dylan's is co-owned by Rubin, the man behind FAO Schweetz (the candy boutique inside FAO Schwarz) and Dylan Lauren (daughter of designer Ralph Lauren). The two met through mutual friends and discovered they were both candyphiles. Just as important, they were both looking for a new business venture.
"I went to New York and talked to Dylan and her dad," Rubin says. "Within a week, we had drawn up a business plan, with a 50-50 partnership between myself and Dylan."
For Rubin, Dylan's is the culmination of a journey that began when he was 11 years old...