The Feb. 15 closing of Fannie May Candy, 223 E. Lincoln Highway, has DeKalb looking elsewhere for chocolate.

Tom Smith, owner of The Confectionary, 149 N. Second St., said he has noticed new faces in his store.

“They may have been out-of-towners, but we have always had business,” he said.

The Confectionary opened in 1982, two years before Fannie May moved into DeKalb.

“Our business actually went up after Fannie May opened,” Smith said. “People in DeKalb and Sycamore resented the big corporation moving in; our business soared.”

The Confectionary makes its own chocolate, caramel and toffee.

“We have Sea Monsters, which are made with carmel, pecans and chocolate. They are similar to Fannie May’s Pixies,” Smith said.

Jewel-Osco, 1320 Sycamore Road, currently is the only local store selling Fannie May candy.

“We receive product from Alpine Confections, Harry London division, which has a licensing agreement to produce Pixies and Mint Meltaways,” said Juanita Kocanda, spokeswoman for Jewel-Osco.

“There has been an upswing in consumer demand for Fannie May product since the closing of their stores – especially for Valentine’s Day,” Kocanda said.

Sugar Momma’s, 901 Lucinda Ave., has not seen a significant increase in business.

“We depend on the student population. Our customers won’t pay $9 for chocolate, so we don’t have confectionary chocolate,” owner Peggy Kennedy said.

New Fannie May owner Alpine Confections of Utah could not be reached for comment.

Main Street DeKalb Director Jennifer Groce has said she is seeking a new tenant for the former Fannie May location.