By Brian Garrido
Richmond, Ind., a small town bordering Ohio and a quick 70 miles from Indianapolis, offers a sweet experience for chocoholics. The route, dubbed the Chocolate Trail and featuring 15 shops to explore, provides a semi-walkable tour through the area’s history while allowing visitors to sample an array of artisanal confections. A stroll allows visitors to explore the town’s sugary delights, from rich and dark to creamy milk chocolate, and learn about the history of the charming area.
The Indiana Foodways Alliance has assembled a Chocolate Trail Passport detailing the shops, and the mobile menu allows complimentary samples when visiting each candy maker. Participants can unlock prizes when checking in at participating locations. After checking in with five merchants, visitors can earn a Certified Chocolate Lover decal. If they visit twelve shops, they earn a Chocolate Lover t-shirt and might be featured on the foodways alliance’s social platforms as a certified Chocolate Trail Lover. Do sign up for passport so you can check in at each location for samples.
The Hoosier state has a long legacy regarding confections beginning in the early 19th century. Indiana’s oldest confectionary, Abbott’s Candy Shop, opened in 1890 and is located a few miles away in Hagerstown. Known for their hand-dipped caramels and chocolate-covered strawberries, it’s worth the drive.
But while in Richmond, the trail provides a sensory journey weaving the together the town’s rich past with the enticing allure of chocolate. Whether you are a connoisseur of fine chocolates or a lover of all types of sweet delicacies, this trail promises an immersion that will leave lasting memories and a craving for more.
Here’s a sample walking guide:
- Begin your sweet excursion at Lisa Cakes, where you’ll receive a stamp and a sample of Lisa’s signature brownie.
- Head over to Undercover Coffee and wash that brownie down with a yummy hot chocolate.
Stroll to Little Sheba’s Restaurant for a free child-size Sheba brownie. - Then skip to Ullrey’s for two treats: a sample of Good’s Chocolate made in Anderson and a four-ounce, chocolate-flavored scoop.
- End at Sweet Blessings with a freshly made chocolate chip cookie.
As you reach the end of the Richmond Chocolate Trail walking tour, you’ll leave celebrating community, tradition and the passion that fuels local businesses, making them an integral part of Richmond’s identity.
