Return of the Clark Bar

http://www.wbz.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=4377365

There are still a lot of Clark bar lovers here in Pittsburgh, including me.

Clark Bars was usually the item I bought out of candy vending machines when I needed a quick pick-me-up. But, as time went on, they were replaced by other products in the machine. They were also sold in fewer retail outlets. I don't think production ever totally stopped, however. It was just another product squeezed by the Big 3 - Hershey, Mars, and Nestle.

By a return, I hope they mean they will get the product back into more stores and vending machines. I understand this may still be a regional brand. The good news is that they are going to make it with milk chocolate again.

I always liked Clark Bars, but I was absolutely crazy about Zagnut! Zagnut was a Clark product, now from Hershey.

didn't they make Oh Henry bars also?

About Oh Henry, back around 1983, Nestle brought the brand from then-owner Ward-Johnson Co. Of Chicago. Eventually Nestle's name was on the bars. The origins of the brand are not clear cut, as noted here:
http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/item/the_oh_henrys/

Zagnut was good also. I like Clark bars better than Butterfingers...Russ

Here's what I think of when I think of Clark bars:

Back in 1964 when I was a teenager the British Invasion was occurring. One day at dinner my Mom (who was always getting names wrong) asked my sister and I if we had ever heard of the new British group "The Five Clarks". It became a household joke, and when my birthday came up a few weeks later, my sister gave me a gift package which contained the Dave Clark Five LP (still have it) and five clark bars (long gone).

Makes me smile everytime somebody mentions  Clark bars. Thanks.

David_NYC


About Oh Henry, back around 1983, Nestle brought the brand from then-owner Ward-Johnson Co. Of Chicago. Eventually Nestle's name was on the bars. The origins of the brand are not clear cut, as noted here:
http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/item/the_oh_henrys/

For some reason, I always considered them twins. Interesting.
I want a dark chocolate Canadian O'Henry.

"I want a Clark bar."

I use www.blaircandy.com for my Clark Bar fix.  They also have lots of other "nostalgic" candy including Zagnut and O'Henry.  Warning!!!  This link can become habit forming!!

I have been able to find Clark bars all along - - sometimes I stumble onto them, but once I find a source, I stock up....
However, I fondly remember the old original Clark Bar that had a strip of chewy caramel down the center of the crispy part which was then enveloped in thick milk chocolate...  I loved to eat each layer off - - working toward the caramel in the middle...   Zagnuts were the same way....
My dad used to go to the Clark Candy Company in the North Side and would bring home boxes and boxes of various Clark products...  Some were found in the penny candy areas of the store - - I remember a licorice flavored caramel square wrapped in wax paper that was really good - - they lasted forever....  Also molasses peanut butter kisses - - kind of like salt water taffy with a strip of peanut butter running through it...  Great for eliminating baby teeth or loose fillings....

Clark bars have always been around here....never left!...also rather have an O'Henry...hell give me a Snickers.

or better a chunky...made the old way with pecans, instead of the peanuts Nestle now uses...in my opiniom Nestle ruins everything they get their hands on...always hated Nestle chocolate bars...too much "milk", not enough "chocolate"!

Clark Bars, Zagnuts, Zero's,,,I can get those anytime. Now if only those Hostess berry pies would find their way around.

Like others have written, I was always able to find Clark bars at a few stores, like Economy Candy. Maybe they mean they plan to mass market it again, where over past 10 - 15 years it was just in limited production.

mamaduck43



However, I fondly remember the old original Clark Bar that had a strip of chewy caramel down the center of the crispy part which was then enveloped in thick milk chocolate...  I loved to eat each layer off - - working toward the caramel in the middle...  

Never knew that type of Clark Bar. For me, Clark Bars were peanutbutter crisp/brittle layers surrounded by chocolate - akin to the popular butterfinger, only not so buttery, but rather more dense (less buttery - not dense in a bad way, though, just different) and better chocolate than bf.  For me, as a kid I wasn't a big fan, but didn't really knwo the clark bar, but then after butterfingers were popular I sort of found Clark Bars and liked them better.

The caramel is an intersting twist. Wonder why it changed.

I have to say, though, while I prefer the Clark Bar to a Butterfinger, those Butterfinger balls are really quite addictive. More chocolate to peanutbutter crispy layers - works for me for butterfinger alternative.

It's like milky way, in a way. I prefer Snickers in general, but a fun size milky way (dark) with more chocolate percentage due to surface area difference, is the best. Yet, in a snickers bar, I prefer the less chocolate ratio of the original to the fun size or snack size. Haven't figure out why I feel that way. Just personal taste I guess. Maybe it has to do with the peanuts.

Anyways, when given the choice of Clark Bar or Butterfinger, I always go for Clark. It seems like a better quality product, in part due to texture.

Here's the History and subsequent changes to the Clark Candy Company:
http://www.necco.com/OurBrands/Default.asp?BrandID=9

Some other interesting products mentioned that I had forgotten about until I read this are - Mary Janes, Black Cows & Teaberry gum!

I guess NECCO has succeeded in increasing distribution of Clark Bars. The Cracker Barrel restaurant chain is now selling them in the chachka shop that is the entrance to their restaurants.

The Clark Bar is mentioned in the Tom Hanks movie "You've Got Mail" which runs on cable every so often.  Can't find the candy bar here...
 
 

Clark bars were one of my favorites as a kid.  I'll still buy one whenever I see it.  At one time, they were made in Pittsburgh and now the building where they were manufactured has a nice bar and restaurant, named (of course) "The Clark Bar".