By Patrick Hedlund
DNAinfo News Editor
EAST VILLAGE — Longtime Avenue A store owner Ray Alvarez celebrated his 78th birthday by watching a burlesque show on the same counter that for decades has served his loyal customers countless cups of coffee, egg creams and heaping portions of handmade Belgian fries.
Alvarez hosted a performance by local burlesque dancer Gal Friday at Ray's Candy Store — a 24-hour sliver of a shop near East 7th Street where he still works the night shift. She had no trouble drawing out Alvarez's trademark smile.
"It's OK — you can touch," Friday told him as a small crowd gathered to gawk.
"No," he replied. "I think I'll have a heart attack."
The performance has become an annual tradition for Alvarez, who after nearly four decades in business has become an institution in the neighborhood.
"As old as he is, I wouldn't be doing this," said activist and photographer John Penley. "This is just his life — he wouldn't know what to do without this store. It's his whole family here."
About a year ago Alvarez fell behind on his rent for the no-frills shop and faced eviction before a group of concerned neighbors stepped in and started holding fundraisers to help him.
He eventually secured a new lease, and has since spiced up his menu with Italian ices and beignets. He also made the jump into cyberspace with a Twitter feed and Facebook page, thanks to some help from web-savvy friends.
It's that change that has allowed him to survive for so long at the location, friends said.
"He keeps on thinking, and he's always coming up with something new," said J., who met Ray in 1967 while living nearby and declined to provide his last name. "That's what keeps him going."
It also helps that Alvarez treats everyone like family, and is quick to cut patrons a deal if they're short on cash.
"He just has a shining personality," said customer Constanza Mirre, from the Lower East Side, who brought him Alvarez new fur hat for his birthday.
She has been going to Ray's for years, but only recently struck up a relationship with him.
"I walked in," she said, "and I had an immediate connection with him."
As for Alvarez, he explained that he's simply doing his job.
"I'm just serving the public for 37 years," he said. "For the girls and boys and men and women, they're all my friends. They're my family."
