Morkes (pronounced Mor-kiss) Chocolates' story began on 26th Street and Trumbull, in Chicago, where William Morkes Sr. left his sales position with Nabisco to start his own business. Living above the shop with his wife, the retail store was open daily from early in the morning to late in the evening. Grandpa Morkes would use trial and error to develop some of the finest finished pieces of chocolate. (Some say he even invented the first caramel apple.)
As soon as William Jr. could, he helped in the family business until he was sent off to fly in B17s during World War II. Fortunately he made it home after 35 missions to work again with his dad, using his veteran’s status to obtain rationed sugar.
In 1967, Dad moved the business to its present location in Palatine, Illinois. Growing every year, the hand dippers and chocolate molders were quite busy. By 1988, Dad, and son Billy, moved aside to let the youngest child of 7, Rhonda, take over where they left off.
Today our line of chocolates encompasses many of the past favorites with some exciting new flavors. We have a full line of hand dipped and enrobed chocolates plus hundreds of molded items for all occasions. In addition we manufacture thousands of caramel apples during the fall season. Throughout the year, we also provide fun for many organizations, birthdays, etc with our hands-on candy making classes. In 2007, a second Morkes Chocolates retail location opened in Algonquin, Illinois.
Come and experience what our family has created throughout the years. We hope you enjoy our products. If you have a request, let us know. We are big enough to handle any order and small enough to give you individual attention.
And, if by chance, you have been with us since 1920, we thank you from the bottom of our chocolate hearts.
The Morkes Family
