This Sweet Gem in Illinois Was Left Behind and Forgotten

Whether you like Illinois or not, you can’t deny that the state is full of history. One piece of that history is a once-thriving candy business that now sits abandoned, waiting for its fate.

What Happened to This Illinois Candy Factory?

In 1923, the Brach's Candy Company became a successful candy maker based in Chicago. Demand was so high that a $5 million factory was built to keep up. At its peak, the factory was producing up to 250 different types of candy, according to Atlas Obscura.

Brach's Candy Company is best known for introducing America to candy corn and wrapped caramel squares. As successful as the company was for decades at the Chicago factory, all good things come to an end.

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The End of the Brach's Chicago Factory

The factory survived the Great Depression, multiple wars, and even a deadly explosion in the 1940s. However, it was the rising cost of sugar that ultimately became the catalyst for the end of the Chicago factory location.

In 2003, the doors closed for good at the Chicago Brach's Candy Factory. The building still stands, and to this day, city officials are trying to decide what to do with it. A portion of the building was even used in The Dark Knight movie.

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I'm not sure if the building is safe to enter or tour, but how amazing would it be to walk through a factory with so much history in Illinois? I hope that if the decision is made to tear it down, someone is able to go inside and capture video before it's lost forever.