The Mansion has sat on the corner of 86th and York on the Upper East Side since 1945. Now, the team is bringing another concept to the community.
When the convenience store in the building next to The Mansion closed earlier this year and terminated their lease, John Philips, the owner of The Mansion, had an empty space to work with in a building he already owned. Instead of leasing it out, he decided it was time to bring his own concept to the space. Named The Candy Store, it will serve as a novelty candy shop and gelato store at 501 East 86th Street.
“The concept is a fun one. We know the neighborhood very well. All of our customers are my neighbors and they’re very regular, so it’s unique in that way. We’re successful in part because we do a good job and source a lot of things locally. Even more so, it’s the relationships we have with people,” Philips told What Now New York. “The Candy Store is a project we’re really enthusiastic about because it’s so much fun.”
The Candy Store will offer a carefully curated selection of candy, including novelty Old World candies, newer candies, a gluten-free and low-sugar candy section and even selections from trends like the Swedish candy craze.
The gelato offerings will be unique, crafted in the traditional Italian old-school method of making gelato. Philips has teamed up with a gelato maker in Queens and has been developing a lineup of flavors for the shop. They are importing ingredients from Italy, and using methods like fermenting the milk for 24 hours, which sets them apart from most commercial producers. Philips’s goal is to create an authentic taste that has become rare in the market.
Other offerings will include novelty sodas, and they hope to add soft-serve ice cream and frozen custard shakes in the next 12 months.
The atmosphere of the 200-square-foot space will offer a whimsical, nostalgic feel that falls in line with the old-school candy shop feel.
“In 2006, we did a complete gut renovation of the store and we found all kinds of artifacts in the walls because the building was built in 1897,” Philips said. “We stripped that space down to the original brick and beams and restored it as much as possible. So it’s going to have an Old World feel.”
Expect to see a blue-and-white striped canopy along with some elements of pink within the space, as well as some historical design elements from the old building. Philips said his goal is to make it a neighborhood spot, especially for kids. Through The Mansion, he has successfully built a strong community, and he hopes to do the same through The Candy Store.
“We’ve seen kids grow up over the years, from infant to adulthood. In fact, I’m going to be hosting a wedding here in January,” Philips said. “[The Candy Store] is a great break in the monotony. The kids really go nuts for that kind of thing. It really keeps us clued into our neighborhood and customers.”
The team is targeting a grand opening around the end of October. For The Mansion team, this opening could be only the beginning. They hope to continue to find new ways to expand in the coming years.
“Based on what’s been going on in the economy and in the restaurant industry specifically, one of the motivations is to start to grow beyond the four walls of our restaurant,” Philips said. “The Candy Store is a step in that direction. We would love to be able to grow that concept as a collaboration with the diner. If this goes well, there could be a lot more to come to meet the needs of the restaurant industry in the next few years.”
