Alvarez was born on January 1, 1933 in Iran and moved to New York in 1964, where he worked for another decade as a dishwasher in New York until he paid $30,000 for the candy store in 1974. On the evening of August 6, 1988, what became known as the Tompkins Square Park Riot broke out between police and a group of protestors rallying against a recently enacted curfew on the park. Ray's Candy Store, across from the entrance to the park, remained open during the riot that ensued. Ray said he stayed open "because all the combatants were his customers." On the morning of June 19, 1992, vigilante, founder and CEO of the Guardian Angels, and radio talk show host and media personality, Curtis Sliwa, was kidnapped and shot by two gunmen after entering a stolen taxi outside Ray's Candy Store.In early 2010, Ray's Candy Store fell behind on its rent and faced eviction by its landlord.
