Candy Lane is heading down a new path. After 11 years, the West Islip based candy and chocolates store is moving their goodies to a new location.
“We’re just moving down the road,” said the store’s owner (who wish not to be indentified). On August 15th, the family run business will set up shop at 563 Muncey Rd in West Islip.
The Candy Lane chocolateers started out as a husband and wife team, selling their sweets on the side while working the restaurant scene.
“We used to work at Howard’s Pub (in Patchogue),” said the owner. “My wife was a waitress and I was the cook.”
Patrons of the restaurant were the first to get a taste of the Paul's homemade chocolates. Their dessert recipe took flight when they were offered a contract with American Airlines to make chocolates as union gifts for the holidays.
“It was then that we needed a storefront,” the owner said. The couple headed over to familiar territory and wound up buying out the very store they went to whenever they craved something sweet. “The woman who owned the store offered to sell it to us.”
Candy Lane officially opened in 2001 under the new owners and claim they thrive most during the holiday season.
“Christmas is our busiest time of the year,” the owner explained. “It’s great because it’s a full season that lasts from Thanksgiving time to New Years.”
In addition to specialized holiday treats and party favors, Candy Lane comes stocked with chocolates and molds so customers can make the sweets themselves.
While all of the traditional Candy Lane sweets and treats will be available at their new location, the owner’s biggest concern is that customers who only come in on the holidays won’t know they have moved.
“The thing I am most sad about is that we have to take our mural down,” the owner said. “It’s really the identity of the building.”
Although Candy Lane is staying in West Islip, the town wanted the Giraldi painting of a house on a lane with children running down it removed.
Fortunately the family store is moving just a little more than a mile down the road from their original location, where you can still satisfy your sweet tooth.
