During Rees’s lifetime, candy would have been sold in a general store and it would have usually been hard candy of various types: horehound drops and rock candy. Maybe licorice. But shops devoted to the sale of candy were soon to come. In fact, according to Wikipedia, the first known shop was established in Japan in1787. Interesting note: a shop in Britain was established in 1827 and is still in operation.

Candy stores were a profitable business. In 1817, Harrisburg Pa, with a population of 70,000, had 55 candy stores.

By the time I was a child, every neighborhood had at least one candy store within walking distance. The candy store in my neighborhood was half a block away. It sold candy, a lot of it could be bought for a few pennies, magazines, and also ice cream from a giant freezer in the back. I believe they also sold cigarettes and probably canned goods. I almost never had any money and I wasn’t much of a candy eater, even as a kid. But I loved fudgesicles (10 cents).

What happened to all the candy stores?

I know there is one sweet shop in Fishkill, within walking distance to the residential area around the main drag. A few others, rather more upscale, are within driving distance. They tend to sell a variety of sweets and, in some cases, baked confections.

Does everyone buy candy in the supermarkets now? What happened to the penny candies that were well within a seven year-old’s budget? Did rents rise so high the sale of cheap candy couldn’t cover it? Questions I have no answers fo.