Ray Alvarez

It looks pretty promising, and you can support the filmmaker on Kickstarter.

East Village icon Ray Alvarez turned 84 yesterday, so a neighborhood crew threw him a party, complete with a belly dancer, inside his tiny store.

While the majority of the city sleeps, Ray Alvarez deep fries Oreos, slathers chili and cheese on hot dogs, and keeps the coffee pot full at his eponymous shop on Avenue A.

What? How else should you celebrate becoming an octogenarian?

After a very dramatic week at the hands of the Department of Health, beleaguered East Village storefront Ray's Candy Shop is officially, legally, back open for business

The Health Department isn't playing with poor old Ray Alvarez, whose titular Candy Store has been an Avenue A institution for generations.

Seems like it's always something with Ray's Candy Store, the classic Avenue A snack shop that specializes in milkshakes, egg creams, french fries, and character. Oh, and vermin, apparently.

Last night Ray Alvarez, who owns the essential Avenue A hole-in-the-wall Ray's

Ray Alvarez (MySpace) After falling behind on his $3,700 rent and

From left to right: Kurve on a recent Saturday night, Ray's