When Laina Jane, the lingerie and pajama shop, closed at the beginning of 2025, it didn’t take long for another purveyor of tantalizing delights to take over. Signage now hangs for Lil Sweet Treat at 416 Amsterdam Avenue, between West 79th and 80th Streets. The shop is run by new-school candy entrepreneur and social media magnet Elly Ross, who has found a niche importing high-end gummies from Sweden, Spain, Germany, Belgium, and beyond.
Lil Sweet Treat first opened in September 2024 in the West Village before expanding to the East Village, Rockefeller Center, and Boston. Their website states that a Philadelphia location will open on June 14, but it currently makes no mention of the Upper West Side. ILTUWS contacted Lil Sweet Treat (they officially spell their name in lowercase, perhaps an ode to the small-sized locations — true to their name). When we tried calling one of the candy shops for more information, not a single one had a working phone number — and the ones we found online were disconnected. Their Instagram page currently has no details about the Upper West Side.
We did come across this Instagram video featuring Lil Sweet Treat’s owner, Elly Ross, at her original West Village location, with a line down the street in November 2024. “I wanted to spread that joy and excitement of trying something new, something delicious — and we’ve done just that for the candy connoisseur,” said Ross, noting that she curates their menu of gummies based on her travels around the world. “It’s really about every single touch point,” said the candy aficionado, pointing out that they have someone to welcome you at the door as you begin your candy journey.
With plastic bins filled with sugary confections lining the walls, Ross — still in the early stages of her brand’s story — described the Lil Sweet Treat shopping experience as “absolutely magical.”
Lil Sweet Treat operates on a cost-per-pound model, where you can pick and mix gummies from around the globe to your heart’s delight. Their website features some signature sweets, like mini burgers for $19.40, layered with fruity flavor and soft, chewy jelly. They have an entire section of the site dedicated to gummies from Sweden — like the fruit belts you might remember getting at the mall in the ’90s (if you’re that old), or something more new age, like Danish skulls that pack a bold and fruity punch. Both gummies are glazed with sweet sugar and priced at $19.40 per pound.
While new to the candy landscape, Lil Sweet Treat has made its presence known, with Eater putting them in their October 2024 “Best Candy Shops in New York City” list alongside legendary names including Economy Candy, the Lower East Side institution that opened in 1937 with thousands of candy varieties, and Li-Lac Chocolates, one of NYC’s oldest operating chocolate houses, with multiple locations including Grand Central and the West Village. Eater noted how narrow their West Village location is, with only a few customers able to fit inside at a time, so lines do form there. “Lil Sweet Treat is the kind of store common at shopping malls two decades ago, reconceived by a new generation,” they wrote.
Update (6/16): The owner just replied to our request for comment. “We are so excited to be on the UWS! We plan to open mid July. lil sweet treat is a destination for globally sourced sweets with a unique selection of textures and flavors you can’t find anywhere else! We’re excited to be spreading joy and continue building our community of candy connoisseurs.”
