Dewey’s Hits DUMBO’s Sweet Spot
For those of us with an insatiable sweet tooth, Dewey’s Candy at 141 Front Street is a one stop shop for all of your confectionery pleasures.
We spoke with Dewey’s owner, Alison Oblonsky, aka “Dewey” about DUMBO’s favorite treats, how her previous life in the world of fashion influenced her approach to selling sweets and what Dewey’s offers beyond just candy.
After three years on Front Street, what have you learned about DUMBO that you didn’t know before?
Having been a resident for nine years, I always knew DUMBO was a great place to live. Once I opened Dewey’s, it was an entire new education about the neighborhood for me.
First and foremost, I’ve learned that DUMBO has an amazing and dynamic business community filled with so many talented and creative people. With the likes of Huge, Carrot Creative and Etsy to name a few, this is a neighborhood that continues to thrive and surprise me!
The other element is the “destination” factor that DUMBO has become. I’ve seen such a bigger imprint of tourist traffic over the past year and a half. Plus, having Jane’s Carousel here is another great addition to the neighborhood.
What is your favorite candy? What is DUMBO’s favorite candy?
So, here is the thing about candy… You can’t name just one “favorite” because it’s all about the different categories. So, if I had to name my favorite chocolate candy, I would say, Dark Chocolate covered pretzels. I go crazy for these. It’s the perfect blend of salty and sweet, in the gummy/sour category, it would have to be strawberry sour belts! Delish! And then there is the licorice factor. I love the Kookaburra red licorice.
DUMBO’s favorite I think would have to be the dark chocolate covered caramels with sea salt! I’ve had people come in telling me that their friends can’t live without them and that they must try them. Needless to say, it’s a must have!
We know that you previously worked in fashion – how does that influence your approach to Dewey’s?
My experience in the fashion industry had a huge influence in how I wanted to design Dewey’s. Having worked for Donna Karan and Victoria’s Secret, I knew the importance of creating the right environment was as important as developing the Dewey’s brand. I really wanted to build a place that people would walk into be happy and be taken back to their childhood. People have had the biggest response to the nostalgic candy that I carry. There are so many products that people didn’t know still existed! I get a big kick out of when people challenge me about a product that I don’t have. Most of time, it’s a discontinued product!
We know that Dewey’s isn’t just a retail business. Can you tell us more about special events that you do (weddings/birthday, party “catering” deliveries, Artist of the Month Program, Trevor Project, etc.)
While Dewey’s is a retail store, there is so much more to us! Last year we really started doing more outside events. I got a call last July to do 68 centerpieces for a corporate event at Cipriani’s. That really broke the seal for us on major events. We’ve also have done candy tables and centerpieces for weddings as well as Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. There is no limit to what our capabilities are.
What I am most proud of was the first Dewey’s Candy “no bullies allowed” t-shirt. This came about after reading and hearing story after story about kids being bullied. I really wanted my company to stand for something and this was one way to give back, so I decided to give 10% of proceeds of every t-shirt sale going to the Trevor Project. I will continue to rotate the proceeds to different organizations to show support for various anti-bully organizations.
Giving back is a huge part of what I stand for, and that is why I launched the “Artist of the Month” program. This was another vehicle to show support for the artist community that is a major part of DUMBO. Each month I will feature a different artist and their work.
What do you think DUMBO will be like in 10 years?
WOW! That is such a great question. OK, so 10 years from now, I will be way into my AARP card! (Ha,ha…. but serious). I almost can’t imagine how amazing DUMBO will be. DUMBO is already on the cusp of greatness and will continue to flourish, so keeping with the spirit of growth, DUMBO will still be the home of the 1st Dewey’s Candy!
