The Story Behind How Dylan’s Candy Bar Got Its Name
Season 2 of “The Corp” rolls along this week with a pair of awesome guests. Yesterday we featured businessman Howard Schultz and today we put the spotlight on Dylan Lauren. As a successful entrepreneur, daughter of American fashion icon Ralph Lauren, and the owner of Dylan’s Candy Bar, there is no shortage of great things Dylan has accomplished. If you have ever taken a trip to New York City, there is probably a decent chance you have made your way to Dylan’s Candy Bar.
To sum it up quickly, I’d compare it to a real-life Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: candy stairs, colors everywhere, and every sweet treat you can think of. On today’s episode with Lauren, Barstool CEO Erika Nardini pinch hit for Big Cat, as she joined co-host Alex Rodriguez. The trio got into the topic of how this magical candy store got its name:
Alex Rodriguez: So, Dylan, when you were a teenager, your father wanted to name a fragrance after you. And you said, “No dad, I’m going to save it for when I have my own store." And now, you have over two million people going to just the New York store alone. What gives you the confidence as a teenager to say, yeah, that’s going to be mine one day?
Dylan Lauren: So, he named it Ralph, which is funny for a women’s fragrance. I mean, they gave me the name and it was kind of cool, you know Dylan Thomas, Bob Dylan, they liked it, I liked it, and I was like “I’m going to save this for something." But I just felt very strong that, you know, that I wanted to do something entrepreneur. I just knew that I would. And I just wanted to save the name and I didn't really think I was being that rebellious. I do like the packaging of the line, like it would have been cool I kind of actually have the Ralph packages on my shelf as inspiration for candy packages. But you know my parents are very supportive of that. I think they knew how much I loved candy like, it actually it was interesting when I was pitching the concept of the candy store in 2000, there was no candy store like it. So, my dad sort of understood like soda fountains or my mom, grew up in that era. And then the businesspeople I was meeting didn't eat candy and they're like, OK well there's candy in every supermarket, every drugstore, every everywhere. Why would you open a candy store?
This is a fair point. You have access to candy in pretty much every convenience story you go in, gas stations, and more. But the reason Lauren wanted to open this candy bar so badly had more to do with than just candy. It had the potential to be an enormous brand.
Dylan Lauren: But it was my parents who understood how much I love candy, but that it was really about creating Disneyland and a real experience and as we were saying before, having my, you know, having opened those stores and now restaurants, my dad understands like, this is not just a candy store. This is this is a lifestyle brand and an experience.
As A-Rod said during the interview, it doesn’t matter if you have a sweet tooth or not: heading to Dylan’s Candy Bar is a must. With more than two dozen locations around the country (including Hawaii, which is opening soon), there are plenty of avenues to get there. And trust me, the moment you walk into this place, you will want to grab a bag, one of those mini, metal shovels, and start filling it up with every piece of candy in sight. It will be worth it.