Sweet Old World
The humble origins of American candy dynasties
| 7:00 AM Jul 14, 2009
When Moishe Cohen opened Economy Candy on Essex Street on the Lower Side of Manhattan in 1937, Depression era customers chose their favorite treats from barrels of nuts, bins of dried fruits, blocks of halvah, and sweets, from chocolate to rock candy. Today’s patrons, in the throes of a deep recession, still flock to the store, now a block away from its original location, in search of discounted candy. But Economy, run today by Moishe’s son and grandson, is not the only longstanding example of Jews in the confection trade.
