From tonight's Tribune.com: "Archibald Candy Corp. announced Monday that it is selling its Fannie May and Fanny Farmer businesses to an unidentified buyer and shutting down its decades-old manufacturing plant in Chicago, putting 625 employees out of work."

Nooooooooooo! The city used to be the candy capital of the country, but I guess it's just not cost-effective anymore. I don't know what all the former candy company employees do when their factories close; it's really too bad. I will very much miss the Fannie May factory and its outlet store. I've been a regular customer since I started at UIC in 1993; the factory is a short walk west from my old and new offices. When the weather is just right, the West Loop smells like chocolate and toast (from the Bay's English muffin factory, also nearby). The neighborhood has changed rapidly, filling up with high-priced condos and the first trickle of trendy restaurants, but the factory and store have remained constant. The ladies who work at the factory store are so sweet and helpful and love to give out free samples. I make a point of going to the store after every major candy holiday, to get 75% off on chocolate marshmallow pumpkins and other such delicacies. They say the brand will be sold and the candy will still be available, but the factory will be gone, and if it isn't Chicago's candy, it just doesn't have the same charm. Ditto for Frango mints.

Got my textbooks for the plant conservation class. They look pretty cool. Felt bad for the guy in front of me, who has four classes and whose total bill was $530. I got off easy, I think. Reminds me, I have to drop that physics class before they charge me for it!

- posted by Diane @ 10:03 PM