Little did we know when we signed up to take a Winans Factory Tour that we would be touring a business that has 5 generations of history! Winans’ first generation baker, Charles Walton, actually came from Michigan before he opened up his Ohio locations.
The original Piqua factory and store location the Carriage House opened in 1961 where it remained open until the Fort Piqua Plaza location opened in 2009.
Winans Chocolates and Coffee Factory is now located on the corner of Spring and High Streets in Piqua previously known as The Piqua Daily Call Building. This location officially opened August 24, 2015 at 7:00 am and Riley was lucky enough to be the 4th customer served in their new location.
Winans offer three tours at their Spring street location: free chocolate factory observation tour through their viewing windows, $5 “Behind the Scenes” tour weekly on Thursdays or by reservation for groups of 21 or more OR $10 “Large Group” Tour with minimum of 50 people which includes a small box of chocolates.
Green coffee beans shipped from all over the world are expertly roasted daily. The current owners Joe and Laurie travel and actually meet the farmers that tend the coffee and chocolate crops. They believe that supporting the actual families that grow the finest beans in the world is one way that Winans is unique.
How many places can you say that their caramels and buckeyes are hand made? There’s also a very unique story about one very special chocolate called Miss Clara’s. The story goes that the chocolates where being made before the realization that a certain nut was out of stock. The chocolates could not go to waste when the suggestion to sprinkle the candies with pecans and Miss Clara’s was born. What is truly amazing is the fact that Miss Clara still works in the factory and is the most seasoned Chocolatier to date.
I personally love all the unique items hanging on the walls in their main store as well as their seasonal displays. Although I have frequented their Troy store more often for Mom’s Nights Out I love the main store and factory location.
Currently Winans Chocolates and Coffee has 14 locations including the Miami Valley market, Columbus area, and Coralville, Iowa! If you are near one of their stores I would highly recommend stopping in for a cup of coffee or a piece of chocolate.
Winans Chocolates and Coffees
310 Spring St Piqua, OH 45356
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