So, so sweet in Chicago!
“We CHEWS you, Chi!”
Those four words emanating from The National Confectionery Sales Association (NCSA) put sweet smiles on the faces of all Chicagoans, knowing that their town had been selected as the permanent home of the Candy Hall of Fame Experience. Chicago triumphed over fellow finalists New York and Orlando to land the planned 60,000-sq.-ft. Hall of Fame that will honor— not Babe — but Baby Ruth.
Scheduled to open in summer 2027, the multi-level destination will be located at 830 N. Michigan Ave., along Chicago’s Miracle Mile. It will be a permanent attraction that will spotlight the history of the confectionery industry, the development of well-known candy brands and the stories of the innovators and entrepreneurs behind them.
“For more than a century, Chicago has been home to some of the most iconic names in American candy, including Ferrara, Mars, Brach’s, Tootsie and Wrigley,” said Shelly Clarey, Chairman of the NCSA. “Establishing the Candy Hall of Fame Experience here reflects the city’s deep connection to the industry and creates a home to celebrate the people who helped build it.”
The NCSA called on the expertise of Candy Hall of Famer Jeff Rubin — founder of the retail candy experience It’Sugar and other innovative retail concepts such as FAO Schweetz and Dylan’s Candy Bar — to help sweeten the design of its HOF.
Rubin has assembled a creative team that includes experience designer Janet T. Planet — whose work has supported brands such as Nestlé, Wonka, Disney and Marvel — and David Korins, a Broadway set designer known for productions including "Hamilton" and "Beetlejuice." Korins will serve as creative director for the project.
“Chicago is the obvious home for the Candy Hall of Fame. It’s the candy capital, full stop,” said Rubin, who will serve as CEO of the Candy Hall of Fame Experience. “Generations of companies built this industry here, and the stories behind those creations deserve to live where they began.”
Chicago has long been associated with the American confectionery industry. Many well-known candy brands were developed, produced, or scaled in the region, and it has long been a place where the industry gathers.
“Candy carries joy across generations,” said Planet, whose title at the Hall of Fame will be Chief Wondermaker. “Our goal is to give that joy a place – one that celebrates imagination, invention, and the shared delight people feel when they encounter something sweet.”
