A few days ago, Blommer Chocolate announced it would be closing its Chicago factory, located at 600 W. Kinzie St., on May 31, due to increasing building maintenance and repair costs. The building, which opened in 1939, was the original manufacturing plant for the company.
The company just announced that more than 250 employees will be laid off due to the closure.
The corporate headquarters, applications lab, and New Research & Development Center will remain in downtown Chicago at the Merchandise Mart.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that employees learned of the closure last Friday, March 22.
"Several people were seen walking out of the factory carrying pieces of paper with information about next steps. Some employees will move to other roles within the company, and others to competing confectioneries who have agreed to take them on," says the newspaper.
Robert Karr, senior vice president, Blommer, said that the factory employees had been working very hard to keep the plant operational for many years, and that they've taken the news "as we have—very hard—in the sense that we’ve all been so committed. And while we don't want this day to come, it’s a sad day, but it’s also a part of the future.”
Both local Chicagoans and confectionery industry personnel alike lamented the closure of the plant.
"People outside Chicago don’t even KNOW what a big deal this is. My bike route downtown used to be Gonella Bread, neighborhood lilacs and Blommer’s. It smelled like the city was taking you on a date," said Kim Bellware, @bellwak on X.
Matt Lindner, aka @mattlindner on X, said "Definitely need someone to step up and save the Blommer factory A. for the people who work there and B. because I do not want to imagine a Chicago without that delicious chocolate smell."
"Chicago is losing an icon. Blommer Chocolate is closing its Chicago factory. Yes that one. The one that makes downtown smell amazing," said Nick Budden, founder and innovation director, Flavor Forward Strategy, in a LinkedIn post.
"I'm personally bummed. Passing it was one of my favorite parts of biking from Logan Square & Wicker Park into the city. It made my day a little bit better. And it didn't cost me a dime."
"Economists call this an externality. Usually, people focus on negative externalities like pollution and carbon emissions. But positive externalities exist too. And even though it's often easier to notice the presence of a negative than the absence of a positive, this one will still hit home for many Chicagoans," he finished.
The company was founded in 1939 in Chicago by Henry Blommer, Sr., along with his brothers Al and Bernard. Their grandfather, Conrad Blommer, was a Milwaukee confectioner before he opened Blommer Ice Cream, later known as Wisconsin Creameries, before it was sold to National Dairy. Their father, William, worked at the family ice cream business and later was vice president of Amrbosia Chocolate.
In 1948, the company branched out and added its Los Angeles factory; in 1951, the company purchased the common stock of Boldemann Chocolate, San Francisco. Operations of both the LA plant and San Francisco were consolidated in 1970 with Blommer's new Union City, CA facility.
Blommer processes more than 45% of the cocoa beans currently processed in the U.S. (into cocoa butter, cocoa solids, and chocolate liquor). About 70% of its business is supplying chocolate to branded companies for use in those companies' products.
