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Opening Hours
Today: 11am–7pm
Fri:
11am–7pm
Sat:
11am–7pm
Sun:
12–6pm
Mon:
11am–7pm
Tues:
11am–7pm
Wed:
11am–7pm
Location
60 West 8th Street
Neighborhoods
See's Candies 1 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village

If one were to walk into the original See’s Candies in Los Angeles in the 1920s, one would see something very similar to the brick and mortar storefront in the West Village. Indeed, the black and white tiles and decades-old employee uniform design remain the same. The recipes remain true to the originals, created with top-notch ingredients and designed to be eaten fresh. Even the cascading art deco light fixtures, which are, in fact, the originals, found in an old warehouse in California, will transport customers back to the era of swing. However, it is the spirit of the place that is most remarkable, which Bill Rhodes - who partnered with See’s to open the first New York location in the fall of 2016 - labors carefully to keep alive.

As I looked through the rows of rich chocolates behind the glass shield, I listened in as a customer shared with Bill how ecstatic she had been when she heard that See’s Candies was coming to her neighborhood. “I grew up on these,” she said, “This is like a dream.” After she made her purchases, Bill invited the Manhattan Sideways team behind the counter, where rows and rows of neat little drawers lined the shelves beneath the displays. Bill took us through the boxes, pulling out one after another, and described each one with rapture, from the heavier cherry cordials to the brown sugar butter creams, which consist of “firm brown sugar enrobed in a rich milk chocolate.” He then demonstrated how each chocolate was carefully placed into brown paper cups and displayed.

The shop, Bill told us, was meant to be a hidden gem. Mary See’s son, Charles, built the original store on the West Coast as a tribute to his mother’s kitchen, replicating her black and white tiled floors and art deco design. Bill revealed that if this store had been opened in New York along with the original in the 1920s, it would have been opened on a side street just like 8th street. The small shops and shaded sidewalks of the West Village embody the small business, community oriented spirit of the store that Charles See envisioned back in the day. “It only took us ninety-six years,” Bill said, “but we’re finally here!”

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See's Candies 1 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 2 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 3 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 4 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 5 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 6 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 7 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 8 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 9 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 10 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 11 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 12 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 13 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 14 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 15 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 16 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 17 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 18 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 19 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village
See's Candies 20 Chocolate Candy Sweets Dessert Greenwich Village

More places on 8th Street

Lost Gem
Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor 1 Bars Beer Bars undefined

Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor

What a find... down a flight of stairs from street level on 8th Street, Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor is the "antithesis of a sports bar. " Artisan and craft beer are brought together in a friendly environment that certainly had us feeling like we were right at home. The Parlor is also named for the Arts and Crafts movement, “a cultural revolt against the ideals of industrialization. ”When we visited, we spoke to Robert, one of the two owners, with whom we thoroughly enjoyed chatting. Robert is an internationally recognized speaker and writer on dining out and traveling with special diets (he co-authored the series Let’s Eat Out! ), and he also has a background in acting and producing on Broadway. He told us that the other owner, Don, has an impressive resume working with the FBI and counterterrorism efforts both in New York and around the world - which left us wondering what brought this dynamic duo together as friends and eventually co-owners. Robert informed us it was a love of American Craft Beer and the visual and performing arts... and that they actually met enjoying a pint of beer in Manhattan. Just as intriguing as its owners, the interior of Arts and Crafts is beautifully designed; the sophisticated wallpaper is custom made by Bradbury and Bradbury, and the soft green and beige pattern was Frank Lloyd Wright’s favorite, supposedly. The constantly changing art is displayed along the wall opposite the bar, and an exposed brick wall and fireplace give the parlor a true “extension of your living room” feel. Described by Robert, as the “Bugatti of beer systems, ” the twenty plus beers the Parlor keeps on tap rotate monthly and are kept by this state of the art system at a refreshing 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Robert also astounded us with how small the carbon footprint of the Parlor is — he told us they are very conscious of keeping things compostable and earth-friendly. In addition to their rotating display of art from both established and up-and-coming artists, the Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor also hosts a monthly lecture series on the subjects of art as well as culinary topics. We could not get enough of how interesting this place is — both the concept of art and beer coming together and the two fascinating minds behind it.