Beloved NJ candy shop closes for good after 65 years

So I was going to start this article with playful quotation marks around some of the lyrics to 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop.” Then I reacquainted myself with the words from the 2005 hit and realized not a single part of it wasn’t overly suggestive. Yikes! Lol

Plan B.

Instead, I’ll let you know how envious I get when I hear older people talk about how back in their childhood there were these great candy shops where they could get candy for just a penny, or maybe a nickel. Hearing a senior talk about scoring those licorice whips is heartwarming to me. You can practically see the excited child they once were.

Since the 1950s there’s been that kind of magical place in Bergen County. It’s called Hanna Krause’s Homemade Candy. The shop has been going strong for 65 years but it’s been announced it’s coming to an end.

A daughter of the Krauses who founded their shop in 1959, owner Karen Ryan, has decided to retire. The last day for the candy shop on Route 17 in Paramus will be June 28.

A different family member, Katrina Curran Manzo, lamented on social media, “Generations of hard work and love went into the legacy that will remain forever. The decision did not come lightly and is heartbreaking for all.”

The backstory of how the place came about seems unlikely yet true. It all started when Alfred Krause emigrated from Germany to the United States and he and his wife Hanna Krause opened a gas station.

What does a gas station have to do with candy? When a customer purchased five gallons or more of gasoline they received a free lollipop handmade by Hanna. Her candies and chocolates became so popular that they got out of the gasoline business and into the coffee shop business where Hana’s many treats were also sold.

From there the torch was passed to son Karl Krause who together with his wife Ingrid opened the Paramus candy shop in 1959. Then it was passed on to Ryan, the one who is now retiring. All good things come to an end. I suppose all sweet things, too.

You have until June 28 to enjoy the final candies and chocolates there. But if you live farther south than Bergen County the good news is there’s still another Hanna Krause’s Homemade Candy shop operating in Toms River on 37.

MORE: NJ PIZZA PLACE CLOSING TO BECOME NEW RESTAURANT

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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