Chicago has long been considered “The Candy Capital” of the United States. From small and dingy factories populated by immigrants, famous chocolate bars and other sweet treats first emerged to seduce Americans before making their presence known around the globe. Each factory stored their product in a large or small candy warehouse before shipping them out. Today, while many such warehouse are empty, some remain. Here candy shops go for their fresh stock. From here, they obtain the goods that make them the ideal store for guests. At the same time, candy warehouses may also serve to be an integral component of the candy shop they serve.
What Should a Candy Warehouse Contain?
When people visit any of the candy warehouses open to the public today, they should see stacks and stacks of diverse candy types. Adults should flash back to their formative years. No matter who they are, they should see candy from American eras past.
With so many sweets from which to pick, it should provide a smorgasbord of tasty delights suitable for all tastes. It needs to embrace the history that is candy including local products made in factories in Chicago. A basic list needs to consist of the following oldies and goodies as well as famous local brands:
* Abba-Zaba
* Baby Ruth
* Candy cigarettes
* Cracker Jack
* Horehound
* Juicy Fruit
* Lemonhead
* Milk Duds
* Milky Way
* Necco
* Sassafras
* Sen-Sen
* Tootsie Roll
* Valomilk
* Walnettos,
* Zagnut
At the same time, the present and future fads and favorites require attention. This can be candy in the shape of current famous personalities or favorite movie, television or game characters. Gummies are a classic way to meet this market.
Yet, candy should also reflect a store’s character. A candy warehouse serving the public needs to have its own signature candy. Certain candy needs to reflect the nature of the shop that makes/owns the candy products. A classic example is chocolate. While a warehouse may stock standard, local and name chocolate or candy bars, it may also have those produced specifically for sale for a particular candy shop.
The product, however, does not have to be chocolate. It could be fudge, fondant, caramels or any of the many candies available to the demanding sweet-toothed public. It could even be a specific flavor of hard candy, lollipop or brittle. The choice depends upon the statement the candy maker/provider wishes to make as well as the specific market segment they want to focus on.
The Delights of a Candy Warehouse
Candy warehouses open to the public should be like the famous Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory – minus the Oompa-Loompas, of course. They should be the best that the world of sweet treats has to offer us. Along with candies reflecting the past, a candy warehouse needs to provide its clients with the latest, the best quality and the most delicious wares ever to be found on any side of the Chicago Loop.