NYC’s Viral Candy Shop Is A ‘Lil Sweet Treat’ With International Delights — And Now A New Storefront
If you’re a candy connoisseur, you’ll be delighted to learn that a new sweet shop has opened its doors in the West Village. Meet Lil Sweet Treat, a charming woman-owned business that’s sure to become a downtown staple.
The shop partially stems from founder Elly Ross’ belief that an after-dinner snack is as necessary as our vegetables. But if you ask us, once you have a look at the international snacks she carries, you’ll be treating yourself all day long. Another motivation to get the shop up and running is the former project manager’s immigrant status.
“I grew up with Korean snacks, and at recess I loved sharing those snacks, trying snacks from other people’s cultures, and I’ve always just been a very big foodie,” she tells us. “And that sentiment never faded.”
New Yorkers are certainly grateful Elly has retained her foodie status and can reap the benefits with the sweet, sugary gummies she keeps in her 7th Ave. South storefront. Lil Sweet Treat was once vacant — something Elly noticed on a lunchtime stroll — but after planning, researching, and sourcing, it’s now a sweet taste of what other countries have to offer.
“I wanted to take inspiration from my own experiences and travels and start sourcing from all around the world,” Elly says.
When it comes to figuring out what to stock, the criteria is simple: “What is something that you don’t really see often, but is delicious at the same time?”
Shoppers can expect sweet gummies from Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Brazil, to name just a few locations. And though the business just launched in September, it plans to diversify its offering to appeal to all of the diverse palettes in our melting pot of a city. If you’re known to frequent chocolate shops in NYC, Lil Sweet Treat will soon be among your go-to’s.
“We’re so excited to expand the catalogue of the candies we have and the countries we source from, and the collection of chocolates that we’ll be introducing to the store,” Elly says. “We’ll also be sourcing different types of candy such as artisan caramels, pebbles from Greece — which are a mixture of chocolates and fillings…”
Already, the debut storefront has amassed a large social media following, not only thanks to its selections, but its welcoming interior and the adorable candy-coated mural on the shop’s brick exterior. (The prime spot for a selfie.) Just have a look at TikTok, where videos of customers making their selections range upwards of 50,000 to 100,000.
Now, after a successful downtown debut, Elly is already opening up a second location in Rockefeller Center on November 15th, just in time for the holiday season. If you’re on your way to take a look at the tree, make sure to stop by the new space, located under 30 Rock by the Rink Level BDFM subway entrance. It’s sure to be as delightful as the OG — and the perfect addition to holiday bucket lists, if you ask us.
When it comes to locales, offerings, and the future of the shop, it all comes down to one thing.
“At the core of [the business], it’s really continuing to spread that joy and excitement,” Elly adds.
We’d say this is a pretty sweet start.
184 7th Ave South or at 30 Rockefeller Plaza
Daily 11am-11pm (West Village); Rockefeller Center hours TBA
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