This Iconic Candy Store Is 'The Most Impressive Nepo Baby Passion Project', According To TikTok
As a Jewish New Yorker, TikToker Josh Rosen has a lot of nostalgia for Dylan's Candy Bar, a magical place that served as the inspiration for many of his childhood friends' bar mitzvahs. In a video sharing his love for the iconic candy store, he dubbed it "the most impressive nepo baby passion project." And that's exactly what it is.
@joshrosen_ I miss her honestly #dylanscandybar #nyc #nostalgia #candy #funny
The daughter of fashion mogul Ralph Lauren, Dylan's Candy Bar founder Dylan Lauren naturally had a passion for style and design. But rather than follow in her father's footsteps, Dylan followed her sweet tooth. After graduating from Duke University with an art history degree, Dylan imagined opening an art gallery with candy sculptures. That initial idea later evolved into a candy store concept, thanks to her father who encouraged her to think big. Dylan shared her dad's advice, telling Glamour, "He was like, 'Make it bigger. It's a whole business — it's not just candy; it's the environment.'" In 2001, Dylan brought the magic of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory to life when she opened the first Dylan's Candy Bar in New York City.
The Dylan's Candy Bar universe
These days, Dylan's Candy Bar is not just an empire of candy emporiums in major cities and airports — it's also a lifestyle brand. In addition to more than 7,000 candy varieties — including high-quality chocolate with the ideal snap — the brand sells clothing, throws, bath bombs, jewelry, and bath robes. Shopping at Dylan's is an immersive experience where you are surrounded by pop art, candy-themed music, candy commercials, and sweet displays meant to dazzle your eyes as well as your taste buds.
After more than 20 years in business, Dylan's Candy Bar is still going strong — while a chain like IT'SUGAR files for bankruptcy amid the evolving consumer landscape. The brand has landed partnerships with TV shows like "Spongebob" and "Wheel of Fortune," movies like "Mean Girls" and "The Wizard of Oz," and other iconic brands like Mattel and Sanrio. With the success of Dylan's Candy Bar, Dylan also gets to combine her love of color, art, and candy with her passion for animals. A portion of the proceeds from select Dylan's Candy Bar purchases supports Dylan's Candy BarN, a charity organization that hosts pet adoption events; raises awareness about spaying, neutering, and ending animal cruelty; and funds disaster relief and animal rescue. Business-minded since the beginning, Dylan once shared with fans, via Dylan's Candy Bar, that she rejected her father's attempt to name a perfume in her honor, recalling as a teen, "I told him I needed to reserve my name for when I built my own brand."