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Another food museum is coming to town, this time permanently and focused entirely on candy. Sugar Factory — the restaurant chain best known for being a magnet for celebs like the Kardashians — is unleashing a 30,000-square-foot Museum of Candy this summer in the Chelsea space that formerly housed notorious nightclub Limelight.
The new museum at 656 Sixth Ave., at 20th Street, will offer more than 15 “experiential rooms” themed around candy, as well as a dessert market, a full-service outpost of Sugar Factory, and an outdoor cafe. Other candy-related exhibits will include a candy unicorn, an item that they’re dubbing “the world’s largest gummy bear,” and areas to taste candy. Candy murals and candy art installations will also be on deck.
Like with the Museum of Ice Cream pop-up, expect this to be a lot of colorful bait for social media feeds. An announcement for the museum starts out with the question “Looking to take a picture in the Gumdrop Room?” Even a portion that looks into the history of candy, called “Candy Memory Lane,” is described as “Instagram-worthy.”
Still, considering the popularity of Museum of Ice Cream — which spread across the country and sold out immediately — the Museum of Candy will likely draw crowds, too. It’s also super on-brand with Sugar Factory, which is known for photo-friendly and over-the-top desserts such as a 24-scoop sundae.
With attractions like candy walls and unicorns, the new museum sounds like the opposite of the dark flagship location of Limelight — a disco, goth, and rock club famous for being a regular spot for party promoter Michael Alig, who was convicted of killing club kid Angel Melendez. The building has since housed a variety of things, including new clubs, a David Barton gym, and now, upscale Chinese restaurant Jue Lan Club. Eater has reached out to Jue Lan Club about its status. Update: The owner of Jue Lan Club Naiome Ram says that it will remain in the property. “I truly believe the two concepts combined will make this location a fantastic destination for out of towners and locals alike,” Ram says.
The New York outpost of Museum of Candy will be first, but eventually, Sugar Factory plans to plan a similar museum in Los Angeles and one other city.
