Video: Subway Candy Peddler Makes $150 Cash A Day

Bronx resident Alex "Tracks" McFarland has been selling candy in NYC's subway system since he was 11 years old. He's now 25 and still doing his hustle, buying $300 sneakers with his earnings and "staying fly from head to toe." McFarland says he makes $150 a day, and in this interesting video, he breaks down the secret to his success:

Sugar rush hour from Bianca Consunji on Vimeo.

The most essential aspect of McFarland's lucrative business model is variety. Peanut M&M's are the number one seller, but if that's not your bag, he's got plenty of options. "Then I got trail mix bars for people that like to eat healthy, which, this got the most sugar in it," McFarland explains with a chuckle. "Then I got cookies for people who claim they don't eat candy. It's like a 'can't say no' flip, so if you don't spend a dollar with me, either you don't have it or you're a hater." Or you're the MTA, which prohibits "the solicitation of money or payment for food, goods, services or entertainment."

[Thanks to Bianca Consunji for sharing her video!]

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By John Del Signore in Food on December 1, 2011 4:23 PM

Comments [rss]

Gabriel Tolliver

Dude just screwed up his hustle by being profiled. Sad that everybody wants that 15 minutes of fame. Now the MTA and NYPD will take special note and maybe the IRS too...

User_Name_User

He probably works harder than most people. It's a shame he blows his money on sneakers though.

allen1jg

He may or may not pay taxes. He may or may not collect welfare. There is some illegality of his business dealings. He sounds like a corporation.

no body

...yeah, but if he starts declaring. he can then start running profit loss on goods and expense all the things that he buys to conduct his business. i wonder what you can claim on $300 shoes as a depreciating asset.

no body

you wonder if there are better profit margins in fruit or other non-junk items. or if the candy is the best bet. whether he pays taxes on the sales is ridiculous. all sorts of cash enterprises don't report truthfully.. and presumedly he paid sales tax when he initially purchased the goods. if this guy was truly smart. he'd apply for a business license/tax exempt or reseller lic. buy in bulk. and recruit people to go selling candy for him.

Dujeous

Ah, Gothamist commenters. Always good for some old-fashioned anonymous racism! Thanks.

Simon Garrett

good for him.

Jereremy

Tell us how you really feel, Gothamist commenters.

SFNY

They certainly aren't feeling the shame or embarrassment that they should be.

snickerdoodlegoth

Conveniently missing from this video is the part where he explains where he stole the box of candy from so that he could "make an honest living".

Sinchy

Isn't there a 5 year limit on welfare benefits? Aren't there many bureaucratic hoops to navigate through to get welfare benefits? He probably isn't getting all the public subsidies so many commenters are sure he is receiving. I'm sure he isn't paying taxes and whatever family he is supporting probably gets some benefits if they are eligible, but if he is spending most of his time hustling I'm not sure he could be fulfilling the requirements to get welfare.
Maybe someone who knows about this and isn't just a hater can inform us. It seems like he is working hard and in his own way is a small business-man / entrepreneur. He is neither all good or all bad but somewhere in the grey area where so many in the world either survive or perish.

LICnative

Some other guy with three hundred dollar sneakers is going to "vic" him because he now knows homeboy carries cash.

Keep your bizzness private.

NewtonCreek

He has the same take home as a first year analyst at MS or Goldman.

siliconsoul

This guy makes his own opportunities, good for him.

avery #

alot of butthurt comments.not shocking with the "hate everyone better/happier then me " attitude this generation

JacksBack72

[] I took another look at Alex (Trax). . . he definitely be 'Fly'!!

BottomlessChips

Good for him. I don't get the hate in the comments.

Greg Froober

I have a feeling he is going to regret publicizing this info

masterjarvis

I have a feeling it isnt going to make any difference at all

BoogieDown

LOL at all these "people" who assume he MUST be on welfare. I mean, he has to be because he's black, amirite? If any of you pathetic losers actually bothered to get to know some black people, you may be surprised by how many of them, shock of shocks, pay their entire way through life.

Also, how many of you assholes who are begrudging him for having $300 sneakers own iPhones or $700 TVs? So many of you racists just can't stand to see black people have nice*, new things.

*In my opinion, most of these sneakers are hideously ugly, but who am I to dictate the taste of others?