From the wall of PEZ dispensers and the “baby boomers” candy aisle, to “candies from around the world,” the shop appeals to customers as diverse as the selections. “There are so many different kinds of candies for the different age groups. You just don’t give kids dark chocolate or chocolate-covered nuts—that’s a very sophisticated palate for them. Children love colors, and adults are attracted to things that remind them of their childhood. There’s even sugar-free candy for the grandparents,” Lauren explains.
And let’s not forget celebrities are candy fiends, too. According to Lauren, Madonna is a Hot Tamales kind of gal while the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez is a Shock Tart man. Recently, Michelle Obama bought candy clothing and lollipops for her daughters, and Oprah beelined for the nostalgic PEZ and caramels when she visited the store.
Of course, there were skeptics of the confectionery emporium in the beginning. “The majority of people in business didn’t understand how all that space—two stories worth—was going to be used to sell candy,” says Lauren. “They were like, ‘How are you going to pay the rent just by selling candy?’”
But Lauren knew exactly how to make candy anything but pedestrian. Like her father, who revolutionized the tie and created a lifestyle brand based on preppy polo players, rugged cowboys, and old-money prestige, she is building a candy culture at Dylan’s. “I always admire people like Oprah, Walt Disney, and my dad, who started their own lifestyle brand. I felt that no one has tapped more into the candy industry than just selling it. Many candy companies just roll out mass products and nothing more. I am selling candy as gifts, soaps, pillows, T-shirts, tote bags, and jewelry. Add the party room and café, now you’re seeing how it’s profitable. The business people see that now.”
Asked who were first-time believers, Lauren says her parents. “My dad always understood it was going to be a lifestyle store because he is very visionary like me. My mom also understood that the candy culture is all over the world. Everybody loves candy.”
Though Dylan’s Candy Bar is successfully operating its ninth year, this avant-garde CEO is not one to take a backseat as her candy land continues to unfold. “I am very involved and hands-on because it’s my name on the door. It’s fun for me to design a fantasyland people can escape to.”
