Kilwins Chocolate shops are located all over the country in many states from Florida to New York. But, Michigan is home to 24 shops. Just about every small town up North has a Kilwins, which is known for delicious boxed chocolates, taffy, caramels, fudge, caramel apples, handcrafted marshmallows and even ice cream.
Walking into Kilwins is an experience, as the fragrance of chocolate fills the air. The displays are beautiful, and the chocolate presentation is equal to any fine chocolate company in the world. This past week, we visited the Petoskey shop (among others) to sample some nut clusters and tour the chocolate factory. This location offers free tours, which last about one hour.
A history of the Kilwin family is shared, along with information about how the candy is decorated and produced. Every one behind the glass walls making the candy has a smile on their face. The candy is handmade, and some of the equipment dates back to the 1940’s, 1950s and 1960s. Don Kilwin began his business in 1947.
With 80 shops, it should be easy enough to find one that is near your home or a friend’s home for a visit. Or, you could just check out their website for more information: https://www.kilwins.com/stores/all
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