By Patrick Hedlund
DNAinfo News Editor
EAST VILLAGE — The embattled Ray’s Candy Store recently received a new lease on life that should keep the beloved neighborhood institution serving egg creams and a dose of local flavor for the next few years.
The Avenue A mainstay had been in danger of closing when owner Ray Alvarez, 77, fell behind on his rent earlier this year, threatening to close the diminutive fast-food shop after 35 years.
But Alvarez just came to terms with his building manager on a conditional rent agreement that saw his monthly payments jump $200 — to $3,700 per month — followed by annual increases of $200 over the following two years.
"It’s all about money," Alvarez acknowledged Monday during his usual overnight shift at the store near Avenue A.
Local residents held a series of rallies and fundraisers earlier this year to keep the neighborhood gathering place in business, starting a late-night delivery service for the store and selling "Save Ray’s" merchandise to help him pay the rent.
For once, though, the chips seem to be stacked in Ray’s favor.
The Turkish-born proprietor recently started receiving monthly Social Security payments following a citizenship snafu, and he is also now receiving Medicaid to help him pay for a much-needed hernia operation and cataract surgery.
This newfound fiscal stability even allowed Alvarez to purchase a machine to make Italian ices in-house so he can compete with a popular ice seller across the street.
However, a condition on Ray’s new rent agreement prohibits him from selling his famous Belgian fries until he installs a ventilation system to safely cook them inside the shop.
He is considering adding hot sandwiches to his menu, and may even include pizza to boost business — at a dollar a slice, he said, the same price as his ices.
With steady summer customers and a new rent agreement, is Ray confident about the store’s future?
"For the first year, yes," he said. "The second and third year are going to be a problem."
