In 2005/2006* before Cynthia Rowley had her Curious Candy, before Sugarfina came out with their beautifuly packaged and unique sweets, and before I even knew about Dylan’s Candy Bar, I dreamt about creating a candy store for the connoisseurs and the curious . A candy store where grownups and mature kids could come to discover all the wonderful confections from around the world. Somewhere where you could get candy at its highest quality and the best that every country had to offer.
I envisioned glass jars to give style and respect to the confections. And I envisioned people wanting to come to get candy for parties, special gifts, for when they were having a bad day or a happy movie day, and just before they were about to go on an adventure and wanted to have something special for the journey.
What I didn’t quite envision was just how much I would be introducing sophisticated New Yorkers to the concept that they liked certain confectionery treats not just based on taste and their sweet vs sourness, but also based on texture, chew, and maybe even color.
Or that when people come to an Ame Ame tasting event, I would get to enjoy seeing their reaction of joy and surprise when they discover something new and something they thought maybe they were too grown up for but discover they have a whole new appreciation and even craving for.
*Note that Ame Ame did not open its first store until late 2011. In 2005/2006 it really was just a dream.
