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Driving down Montrose this morning, noticed the old Fannie May retail location under the Brown Line had signage indicating it was now "Margie's Candies."

Metromix confirmed that this meant what I hoped it meant:

"Margie's Candies
1813 W. Montrose Ave.
Chicago, IL
Honore St. and Montrose Ave.
773-348-0400

Bucktown institution Margie's Candies is (finally!) set to open a second shop in North Center location in late October. (It's about time: The Bucktown location has been swarmed with families and couples looking for hand-dipped candies and house-made, hand-packed ice cream since 1921. You'll find standing-room-only on most weekend nights -- even in winter.) Look for the same candies and chocolates, including the pecan, caramel and chocolate terrapins, truffles and English toffee, plus banana splits, sundaes, shakes and other fountain creations. Peter Poulos (the son of founder Margie Poulos) is planning an old-school parlor look complete with restored Tiffany lamps handed down from his grandfather, and a full soda fountain. A limited menu of salads and sandwiches will be offered in addition to the sweet treats. "

I think this was announced in March or April, and I've driven past it every Sunday morning on my way home from volunteering at Inspiration Cafe. I don't know what the hold up was, because it's looked the same now from the outside for the past 3 months. Opening ice cream stores after the cold weather has already hit seems like a bad business plan to me.

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When I grow up, I'm going to Bovine University!

I was in Margie's (original) a couple of weeks ago after a Honey 1 outing and I saw Peter Poulos (Son of Margie). I asked him about the new location and he told me that he was finishing up some "final details" before the opening. I asked him if this was a franchised location or one that he will also be operating and he said that it is owned by him and not franchised. I can't wait for the opening, although I'm sure the lines will be quite long to get in (at least at first).

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Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

If a new location helps ease up the lines, great. And I wish the family success in the new location.

But at least 50% of the reason I go to the original location has to do with the non-functioning tableside "jukeboxes," Beatles memorabilia, freak-me-out dolls in the display, and the huge clamshell-shaped bowls.

Zee

Margie's
1960 N. Western Ave.
773-384-1035

I live nearby and peek in often when I get off the Brown Line. They were testing the neon window lights 2 nights ago, and doing some other final touches, so it seems it should be soon.

I'm sure the clam shaped bowls will make the move to the new location, but I can't speak to the other stuff...especially the Beatles memorabilia, since the reason for it in the original location is that The Beatles actually went there for ice cream after their Comisky Park show.

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Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

Has anyone been in that Beans & Bagels, right next to the Montrose El station entrance, lately? Some time ago they told me that, when the CTA started renovating Montrose station, the building B&B is in now would become the handicapped access entrance, and they would move into the building Margie's is now occupying. That obviously has fallen through, and I'm wondering if Beans & Bagels' original location there is doomed -- I always enjoyed having it there.

I was there a few days ago. I didn't ask nor was I told anything about potential CTA moves. It looked like business as usual, though.

Drove down Montrose by Margie's, saw the neon lights on and the "OPEN" sign by the door and stopped in. They seem to have opened quite recently, and are getting more prepared by the minute. Having never been to the original Margie's (yes, I need to get out more), I can make no comparison between the two.

I ordered a chocolate soda from a young man behind the counter. He asked a coworker if she knew how to make a chocolate soda. She asked an older gentleman behind counter if they had any chocolate syrup. Upon which the older man, who later was addressed as "Peter" (see post above), offered me a strawberry soda, a root beer float, or a Coke float, as there was no chocolate syrup yet. I looked over the menu again and ordered a vanilla malt, and the older man began telling the young man how to make one. The young man asked me if it was for here or to go, and I said "to go, please." The older man said "Have a seat. We don't have any to go cups yet. I thought you wanted it for here." I didn't mind staying, and told them it was no problem. My boys and I sat down.

Presently, we were served the malt in a tall glass on a tray with additional malt in the metal cup in which the malt was made. The young woman who brought it asked me if I'd like an extra straw or sugar wafer, and I said an extra cup would be great. Peter told her to bring a big cup for my almost-2-year-old, so she brought us a small water glass and a tall glass coffee cup FULL of whipped cream with a cherry on top for him, along with his own straw. This was very well received. We shared the sugar wafer, and drank our malt, which really was a shake, in my opinion, as I discerned no malt flavor. It was a very good shake, and a fine size for him and me to share. Turns out my boy doesn't have any more interest in maraschino cherries than I. I felt sort of sorry for my 5-month-old as his older brother and I drank our shake right in front of him. He seemed OK with his thumb, and drifted off. I figure I'll make it up to him sometime when the older one goes to preschool or something.

As we sat there, a large bucket of chocoate syrup, a package of paper cups and a few other items were brought in the front door. I considered that if we'd just spent another couple of minutes at Target debating between the Elmo toothbrush and the Cookie Monster toothbrush we could be sitting there with a chocolate soda. Or we could be in the car with our malt. Oh well. You never how taking one seemingly insignificant course of action over another might change the rest of the day.

Lack of preparation aside, this is VERY good news!

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Steve Z.
Photographer/Pseudojournalist

"The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child

The spouse had to work late on his birthday, so I surprised him by meeting him after work and whisking him away to an undisclosed location: the Margie's on Montrose.
It was very quiet on a Monday night, and those who did come in seemed to be there just for ice cream. Not only were the tiffany-style lamps in place, but we also met the woman who painted the lovely murals (realistic portraits of Margie's ice cream sundaes) that decorate the counters. She also made our turtle split, so I guess you could say that Margie's now has an artist in residence. She also told us that she was trying to persuade the owner to commission a sculpture of a sundae, since the location on Western has one and it's very eye-catching. This location is more spacious and well, just a heck of a lot more normal than the original, jam-packed-with-odd-knicknacks Margie's. Still, the ice cream was just as good and it's much easier for us to get to this location, so we'll be back.

LTH,


After a very nice dinner at Glen's Diner with EatChicago and petit pois we walked across the street to Margie's.



Margie's is one of those places that people either love or are lukewarm about, I mean how can anyone dislike a place that serves ice cream sundays, count me in the lukewarm category.

The Montrose Margie's interior, same as on Western, simply screams Ice Cream and candy, a very good thing.


Though I find Margie's more of a Big Cake for Big Cake's sake kind of place, in other words, the portions are huge, prices reasonable, but the ice cream and hot fudge, while fine, are unremarkable.




Don't get me wrong, Margie's is fine, I'd happily go again, I just don't feel the love as do many others.

Enjoy,
Gary

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

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