Fannie May Flagship Is Back: Bigger & Better!

By Rachelle Bowden in Food on Nov 17, 2006 7:24PM

Yesterday marked the return of the Fannie May flagship store on Michigan & Wacker. The store is now four times the size of the store that was there, which is awesome because that store could get totally cramped. Expecially around the holidays. The new design was done by Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture and is supposed to be more warm and contemporary. For the history buffs, there's now a "Heritage Wall" that shows Fannie May's Chicago roots, dating back to 1920, and has a collage of vintage photographs.

Also, there's now an in-store theater facing Michigan Avenue so that tourists can block up the sidewalk by standing gawking while Fannie May employees hand-dip ice cream bars and strawberries. In addition to all of the chocolate goodness, there will be Fannie May gourmet coffees, flavored coffees and hot chocolate added to the menu.

Here's the thing: Chicagoist toured each and every one of the chocolate shops on the Magnificent Mile. Fannie May wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst. It was probably the best value, but taste-wise came in right in the middle. Will this new remodel help raise Fannie May's status on The Mile? Or is it futile? Being a freestanding store helps, compared to the ones that are in the Michigan Avenue malls, but being south of the river, even if it's just barely, puts it out of the traditional shopping area. What do you think?