Paula Fingerut may be decades older than the kids she serves every day, but the self—described “senior citizen” in the candy store still gets excited in the mornings when she opens Zipf’s sweet shop founded 57 years ago in Chestnut Hill.

“People in Chestnut Hill do support us,” said Fingerut, of Upper Roxborough. “I have at least 60 varieties of chocolate in this case here. As you can see, it is in every inch of space in our 273 square feet. The only place we don’t have it is dangling from the ceiling.”

Fingerut purchased Zipf’s Candies from previous owner Alena Hackett and took over the store in 2018. Hackett had acquired the business from original owners Muriel and Marvin Kaplan. Muriel Kaplan ran the store when it opened in 1968 adjacent to The Pipe Rack, which her husband had started three years earlier in the courtyard and walkway shoehorned between 8433 and 8435 Germantown Ave.

The name Zipf’s, by the way, was picked because it was already a well known name in chocolates. In the early days, Muriel’s chocolates all came from Zipf’s candy factory in West Reading, which was founded in 1905.

Fingerut came out of retirement to purchase and run the store. “I was really just looking for something to do a couple hours a week,” she said, “but it turned out to be quite a bit more than that. A friend at Delphine Gallery told me about this place, so I negotiated with Alena. I just couldn’t pass it up, and I’m happy I bought it.

“All along the Avenue are wonderful stores where you can talk about life,” she said. “I get to know my regular customers and develop relationships. You cannot do that with online shopping. And, there is the smell of a candy store.”

Fingerut grew up in Northeast Philly and attended the Parkway High School in Center City. She then worked at Ashbourne Food Market in Elkins Park, starting as a cashier and learning all aspects of the grocery business. In her early 20s, she was named manager of Ashbourne Two, a gourmet shop that opened around the corner from the original food market. She worked there for 13 years and then bought a lunch truck that was parked at 17th and Spring Garden Streets, generally feeding students at Community College of Philadelphia. “But after two years, my partner and I got tired of it,” she said.

Seeking a change of scenery, Fingerut moved to Kennebunkport, Maine, where she had friends. While there with her cockapoo, Kasha, who lived to be 21, Fingerut became a produce manager for a supermarket in the Hannaford chain. Every year, she moved to a different store in the chain, but after 20 years in Maine, she moved back to the Philadelphia area in 2009 to take care of her mom, who lived in the Northeast. She died at the beginning of 2018 at age 93.

Since purchasing Zipf’s, Fingerut has weathered the changes in the business and often hears from customers about the obstacles they face. “At least one in every five customers complains about parking,” she said. “Several people have told me their parents don’t come to Chestnut Hill anymore because they cannot figure out the kiosks.”

Fingerut says two things have become huge challenges — online sales and big box stores such as Target and Walmart. “And supermarkets have very little markup on candy and chocolates. They make their money on big markup items — deli items, fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, etc., not candy and chocolates,” she said. “Also, the Trump tariffs are hurting since 90 percent of the best candy and chocolate is imported. And my suppliers now charge 3% for credit card use. I cannot pass that cost along to the customers.”

The shifts in business may have made it more difficult for Zipf’s to compete, but when it comes to candy quality, Fingerut maintains that Zipf’s is the sweet spot. “We have imported nougats, Madeline chocolates, dozens of black licorice, the finest chocolates from France, England, Belgium, Germany and Sweden. Also personal service. I have walked out of some of those big stores because of the lack of service.”

And then, there are the things that make Chestnut Hill, well, Chestnut Hill. “I have customers who may be walking their dog. They come in and may not even buy anything. They just want to talk,” Fingerut said. “That’s what I love about Chestnut Hill. It’s like a small town in Middle America. Old fashioned. It’s fun to talk to people. This is the best job I ever had, although Chestnut Hill is a dying breed.”

Zipf’s does not have a website, but the store is on Facebook and Instagram. For more information, call 215-248-1877 or email zipfscandies@gmail.com. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com.