4 Photos from Economy Candy

Floor-to-ceiling bins, retro wrappers and halvah by the slab: a Lower East Side institution in four frames.

Photography4 min readUpdated
Economy Candy storefront with its red script sign and striped awning
Economy Candy on Rivington Street.

Economy Candy has been on the Lower East Side since 1937, which makes it one of the oldest candy stores in New York City. It started as a neighborhood shop selling sweets to a working-class, largely immigrant population. It has since become a destination, packed with tourists, kids and adults hunting for a candy bar they haven't seen in thirty years.

The "4 Photos" series takes four frames that together give you the feel of a place. Here they are, each with a caption.

The wall of bins1/4
The wall of bins Bins and shelves run floor to ceiling, holding jelly beans, gummies, malt balls and more licorice than you knew existed.
Est. 19372/4
Est. 1937 The flag outside says it plainly: Economy Candy, 108 Rivington Street, since 1937.
The window3/4
The window Windows packed with nostalgia candy: brands you remember from childhood and some you thought were discontinued.
Rivington Street4/4
Rivington Street The storefront on the Lower East Side, a short walk from Katz's and the late-night slice shops.

Visiting Economy Candy

  • Where: 108 Rivington Street, between Essex and Ludlow, on the Lower East Side.
  • What to buy: Nostalgia candy, international sweets, halvah, chocolate-covered everything, and bulk bins priced by the pound.
  • When: Weekday mornings are calmer. Weekend afternoons get crowded. Check current hours before you go.
  • Make a day of it: It's a short walk to Katz's Delicatessen and the late-night dollar slice spots on the Lower East Side.

Next in the series: 4 Photos from Salerno.

Keep reading

Aerial view of Salerno and its coastline on the Gulf of Salerno
Photography3 min read

4 Photos from Salerno

The "4 Photos" series takes four frames and nothing else. This time it's the Italian port city most travelers rush past on the way to Positano.

Black and white photo of riders inside a New York subway car
Photography5 min read

Subway Photos, Trial No. 1

The subway car is the most democratic portrait studio in the world. Walker Evans knew it eighty years ago.

A Turkish mixed grill plate at an ocakbaşı restaurant in London
Food7 min read

Turkish Immigrant Restaurant Owners in New York & London

Two cities, one story told thousands of times: a family opens a restaurant so the next generation doesn't have to.