Love Nest

[8 Cleveland Place, Lower Manhattan, c. 1939–1941. From the NYC Municipal Archives Collections. Click for a much larger view.]

Sam’s Coffee Pot seems in danger of turning into a LOVE NEST. Love Nest, “The Best Eating Candy Bar,” a product of the Euclid Candy Company, is said to have been introduced in the mid-1920s. It was “a classic nut roll recipe,“ made with peanuts, fudge, caramel, and chocolate. The candy had its own trucks. Advertising images abound. And there was at least one other Love Nest sign in Manhattan.

The candy’s name must have been inspired by a popular song. From 1920, here’s John Steel singing Louis A. Hirsch and Otto Harbach’s “Love Nest.” And a more recent version from Nat “King” Cole. If you watched enough old repeats on WPIX, you may recognize the melody from The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show .

Many details to notice in the larger image. Count the people: I see six, plus one mirrored person and a tiny, ghostly witch.

Sam’s corner is now occupied by Carrot Express, serving healthy stuff.

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More photographs from the NYC Municipal Archives (Pinboard)

[The tax records say Cleveland Street. But it’s Cleveland Place, or at least now is. All Love Nest ingredients, as listed on a 1950s wrapper: No. 1 Spanish roasted peanuts, sugar, milk chocolate, corn syrup, sweetened condensed skim milk, hydrogenated vegetable o1l, egg albumen, salt, artificial vanilla flavor.]