Who has overestimated the American public's desire for chocolate this year?

February 13, 2009 9:09 AM

My favorite holiday, Half-Price Candy Day, happens four times a year: Nov. 1, Dec. 26, Feb. 15, and the day after Easter. I usually hit a chain drugstore or grocery store for my Conversation Hearts or Robin's Eggs, but it just occurred to me that I could probably do better.

Where will I have the best luck finding discounted high-end candy this Sunday? I usually see a lot of extra holiday stock at Godiva, so that's going on the list. Have you walked into a store this week and thought "There's no way they're going to sell all these pink boxes before Saturday?"

I'm in New York City, so I'm particularly interested in local places, but chain and web stores are good too.

I'm still going to stock up on Conversation Hearts, though. I like the white ones.

posted by doift to shopping (11 comments total)

Target. I'm a fan of half-price candy day, too, and Target never disappoints. Hit up the Targuggenheim, in Queens.
posted by dirtdirt at 9:22 AM on February 13

Vosges, perhaps? They have two NYC locations.
posted by runningwithscissors at 9:43 AM on February 13

Barnes & Noble cafes used to put all the valentiny Godiva boxes out at half price. I haven't looked for a few years, don't know for sure whether they still do but it's probably worth checking.
posted by acorncup at 10:10 AM on February 13

Today I fail at Reading Comprehension. Sorry.
posted by acorncup at 10:12 AM on February 13

I don't know about post-chocoday discounts, but there's a new spot on Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn called Nunu Chocolates. Seems they're selling Valentine's boxes.
posted by tip120 at 10:33 AM on February 13

I was told by the manager of a Minnesota Godiva shop a few years ago that their items went on sale twice a year: after Valentine's and after Mother's Day. Might be one more day to add to your hit list. Your mileage or insulin levels may vary.

(Incidentally, with a nail file and red sharpie, you can replace the printed messages on conversation hearts with naughty or inappropriate ones of your own. I'm just sayin', you know, as long as they're on sale...)
posted by gimonca at 10:53 AM on February 13

Don't bother with See's. They just rip off the pink paper and sell them as regular boxes again.
posted by NoraReed at 10:57 AM on February 13

There was a ton of stuff at the Jacques Torres on Hudson street last week. They had piles of weird chocolate Valentines Day hearts with random chocolates from their regular collection melted into them. It was like they formed some sort of combined Frankenchocolate. I bet they're still tasty, though, and I doubt that they would have sold them all by now.
posted by Alison at 11:03 AM on February 13

Eh, Target can be hit or miss. I went the day before Halloween and they were almost completely out of candy. This was at the Atlantic location in Brooklyn, btw, so YMMV. I tend to hit up Walgreens and CVS.
posted by cmgonzalez at 11:49 AM on February 13

I live right near the Brooklyn Target, and it can indeed be hit-or-miss (though last year's post-Valentine's selection was pretty good), which is why I'm looking to diversify.

Target-Nunu-Walgreens are all within a block of each other, so that's my primary plan of attack so far, with perhaps a second venture in Soho to Torres and Vosges if I'm feeling swanky.
posted by doift at 4:06 PM on February 13

For posterity: Apparently Jacques Torres doesn't discount their Valentine's Day stuff, and Nunu was closed with a sign in their window that said "Completely sold out." Target and Walgreens were pretty picked over, but I managed to score some Ferrero Rocher and vanilla creme Peeps, so I declare a moderate success.
posted by doift at 12:01 PM on February 15