According to accounts and authorities, the 90-year-old proprietor of the renowned Ray’s Candy Store was viciously assaulted outside his East Village store, leaving him with a black eye and a horrible gash on his face.
Around 3 a.m. on Tuesday, Ray Alvarez was suddenly attacked by a stranger who asked him if he wanted to buy a box he was carrying, according to police.
When Alvarez inquired about the contents of the package, the suspect transferred it to another man while threatening to murder the owner, according to the police.
He then struck the elderly owner on the left side of the head with a belt that had a large rock attached to the end, according to police. The victim declined medical attention.
A picture of Alvarez, the shop’s owner for 50 years, with a black eye and a cut on his temple was posted on the neighbourhood site EV Grieve.
A man wanted in connection with the attack was seen in a CCTV photo being pushed by a purple shopping cart that was laden with various objects. He was completely in black.
At 113 Avenue A, Ray’s Candy Store has been open continuously since 1974.
The little candy store has a devoted following of customers and is a fixture in the East Village.
Last year, customers raised $50,000 to assist pay past due expenses and keep the candy shop open when it was about to close.
When he first started, Asghar Ghahraman, a former Iranian sailor, was paying $125 in rent; nevertheless, he now claims that the rent is approximately $6,200 per month.
He admitted to having mounting debt to The Post in November, including a $18,000 Con Edison bill, before his clients came to his rescue.
