Kardashian crew love Ray’s Candy Store
Following the lead of her younger sister, Kim Kardashian and friends
recently visited Ray’s Candy Shop, and were wowed by its tasty oldschool
snacks and sweets. (Courtesy Ray’s Candy Store/Twitter)
BY LINCOLN ANDERSON
Ray’s Candy Store on Avenue A
is getting hit by reality — as in
reality TV stars Kendall Jenner
and Kim Kardashian.
The “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”
personalities have recently
both paid visits to the hole-in-the-wall
hot spot.
Younger sister Kendall fi rst dropped
by one night in May, then returned for
another visit a couple of weeks ago.
Following suit, Kim was there just last
Tuesday.
They were both lured by the East Village
eatery’s irresistible favorites, like
fried Oreos and fried bananas.
“Kendall fi rst came for the Oreos,”
said Anthony, who was working the
counter last Thursday night. “And then
she came for the Oreos and beignets”
on her return visit.
The fi rst time, Kendall also brought
along Hailey Baldwin, the wife of singer
Justin Bieber. But she kept things
pretty low-profi le. On her second visit,
she posed for a photo sitting atop Ray’s
famed well-worn countertop.
Anthony said he didn’t know who
the two women were. But, after they
left, a group of girls rushed in excitedly
and incredulously asked him, “Do you
know who that just was?!”
Ray Alvarez a.k.a. Asghar Ghahraman,
86, the store’s owner, was napping
in the back of the place during
part of his usual overnight shift for
either one or both of Kendall’s visits.
But he was up when Kim came in, and
enjoyed her visit.
Due to a boom in business after adding
app-based deliveries, Ray — the undisputed
“ironman of Avenue A” — can
now employ two or even three people
to help him on the overnight.
Anthony and Vanessa, who was also
working last Thursday night, said that
after Jenner and Kardashian dropped
by the store, there was a surge of people
wanting to order — or at least look
at — the same foods the two Internetfamous
celebs had chowed down,
mostly fried Oreos and beignets.
“After Kendall came here,” Anthony
said, “a lot of people came to touch the
counter and have what she got.”
In recent years, no doubt partly due
to the store’s increased online presence,
Ray’s has become a go-to destination
for other entertainers. The authentic
old-school egg-cream joint also sports
Instagram-friendly décor, including a
cluttered collage of colorful signage,
Kendall Jenner on her second visit to Ray’s Candy Store on Avenue A, at
E. Seventh St., with counterman Anthony in the background. (Courtesy
Ray’s Candy Store/Twitter)
plus assorted newspaper clippings
about Ray’s exploits and annual overthe
top birthday bashes.
“Kesha came by after the Grammys
like at 2 a.m.,” Anthony recalled of the
“TiK ToK” singer.
Added Vanessa, “Lindsay Lohan
came in, ran in the back and gave Ray a
hug and offered to pay for his vacation.
But he never takes a day off.”
A towering basketball player with the
Golden State Warriors even recently
stopped by for a snack.
“He’s one of their tallest players,”
Anthony said. “He had to bend down
to get through the door.”
They weren’t sure who it was, but apparently
it wasn’t Kevin Durant.
Hanging out by the counter last
Thursday evening was another entertainer,
pianist Jeremy Rosen, who
tickles the ivories at nearby Caravan of
Dreams vegan restaurant. Rosen lived
in the East Village as a kid, yet only discovered
Ray’s and its quirky charm a
few years ago.
“I think when I grew up, my mother
was sort of a snob,” he refl ected. “She
said, ‘Don’t go in there.’ After my
mother died, I started coming here. But
if my mother was alive, she would have
loved this.”
22 July 4, 2019 CNW Schneps Media