Alvarez was born Asghar Ghahraman on January 1, 1933, in Iran, and moved to New York in 1964 after serving in the Iranian Navy,[3] where he worked for another decade as a dishwasher until he paid $30,000 for the candy store in 1974.

"[6] On the morning of June 19, 1992, Curtis Sliwa, the founder and CEO of the vigilante group Guardian Angels, was kidnapped and shot by two gunmen after entering a stolen taxi outside Ray's Candy Store.

[6][8][9] In a broad show of support, friends, neighbors, customers, and other community members quickly rushed to Ray's aid, hosting various fundraisers and starting a social media campaign meant to boost the beloved business's profile.

Peroza then handed the drinks to Barth before he returned to Ray and struck him in the head with an unknown weapon, cutting his face and giving him a black eye, fracturing facial bones, and breaking his jaw.

[citation needed] Beginning in 2007, some friends and employees of Ray's have thrown him an annual birthday party at the store, typically featuring a lineup of local burlesque dancers.

[24] In an interview, principal actor, Bryan Greenberg, who attended NYU as a student, made particular reference to the scene shot at Ray's Candy Store as a "full circle moment for me."

In the scene, actors Greenberg and Victor Rasuk meet up for some frites to discuss brand business, while at their backs a "Save Ray's Candy Store" poster is in clear sight.

[26] In November 2018, Ray's Candy Store was featured in the series finale of CNN's travel and food show, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.

The episode, titled "Lower East Side" – which brought Bourdain's culinary travelogue full circle back to his hometown of New York – aired November 11, 2018.

[27] In the scene, Bourdain and friend, musician Harley Flanagan, stop into Ray's Candy Store to chat up the proprietor and sample his famous eggs creams.

[33] The song "Lilly's Treat" by ska-punk band, Team Spider, off of their 2002 collaboration album with No Cash entitled "Summertime in the City" makes several references to Ray, Avenue A, and his famed egg creams.