Viral candy shop Lil Sweet Treat is opening a second NYC location by Rockefeller Center
Turns out, the candy world is not all fun and (delicious) games—at least when it comes to opening a shop entirely dedicated to sweets. Just ask Elly Ross, the 20-something-year-old former tech product manager who recently debuted her new candy store Lil Sweet Treat at 184 Seventh Avenue South in the West Village.
Ross chronicled her journey—filled with setbacks, construction issues and colorful sweets—on TikTok, where she amassed a huge following before even launching her brick-and-mortar business.
Now both a viral sensation and a must-visit destination in the real-world, Lil Sweet Treat is a magnet for all types of customers: kids indulging their sweet tooth, older folks curious about the high-end gummies that Ross sources from all parts of the world (the current selection, which is constantly changing, includes delicacies from France, Sweden, Australia, the Netherlands, Spain and Germany, among other nations) and New Yorkers who have pledged their devotion to global treats since Swedish candy shop BonBon first landed on the scene back in 2018.
“I saw the virality of Swedish candy and said, why not put my own spin on it?’,” Ross said to Time Out during a recent phone ball. “The goal is to source from all over the world.”
Although her West Village shop opened just a couple of months ago, Ross is already gearing up for the debut of Lil Sweet Treat’s second location, set to soft-launch at Rockefeller Center this Friday, November 15.
Ross took the time to chat with Time Out about her sourcing methods, her new store and more. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation:
How did you come up with the name Lil Sweet Treat?
Ross: “I always say, ‘I need a little sweet treat at the end of the meal, I don’t feel like the meal is complete with out.’ So I thought it would be a nice play on that. Instead of ‘little,’ I went for ‘lil.'”
How do you select the candy on sale?
“We rotate the candy constantly because we want people to try something new every time. It’s all about what the ingredients used are, the flavor, whether the texture is unique and enjoyable. Aesthetically, the gummy also has to be something fun to eat.”
What are some of your most popular products?
“They always change but our wild blue raspberries from Spain are really popular. So are our mango passion fruit drops from Germany and raspberry pucker bottles from Sweden.”
Why don’t you sell American candy?
“It was an intentional choice. Most sweet treats are meant to be special. If you would like candy that you can get here in the United States, there are all these avenues for you to do so. We’re not doing something that everyone does: we want to do the heavy lifting of sourcing candy that is difficult to find otherwise.”
Why are New Yorkers suddenly obsessed with candy?
“A big part of it is nostalgia. A lot of the feedback I hear involves feeling like a kid again. People want that extra bit of happiness in their lives right now!”