Choco Town, a chocolate-themed wonderland, opening at Troy's Oakland Mall: What to know
It's a bonanza of chocolate, a sight that would make Willie Wonka's jaw drop.
Imagine chocolate everything and every type of sweet confection — dark, chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate beans, even chocolate-covered bacon.
Welcome to Choco Town, which makes its metro Detroit debut on Thursday at Oakland Mall in Troy.
At Choco Town, chocolate "explorers" are granted a passport to visit its six themed areas. At the Town Square, for example, visitors get a lesson on the origins of the cocoa bean and chocolates available for sampling. Along Bon Bon Boulevard, visitors can learn how different types of salt can change the taste of chocolate.
"Choco Town is an immersive multi-sensory chocolate-tasting experience," said Mary Fuhrman, executive producer of Choco Town. "You come into this chocolate village, this little world we've created, and you get to experiment, taste and sample a whole bunch of different types of chocolate. Then you get to, take your photos, your selfies, and the TikTok videos in our beautiful curated set, learn about chocolate and play, and it's a great time for families."
Choco Town is an ideal place for selfies, featuring everything from retro arcade games to disco balls and velvet couches.
Fuhrman explained that the chocolates are from brands like Barry Callebaut and Koppers Chocolate. She also said that the experience got a lot of love when they presented it in Boston.
"People really enjoy the tasting experiments and getting to learn about where chocolate comes from," she said.
No matter what age, there's something for everyone at Choco Town, including:
Discover your chocolate personality profile. Various experiments help visitors use a chart to determine whether they are better suited for dark chocolate or lean more toward the sweet silkiness of milk chocolate.
For kids, there are games, an adventure park with swings and a merry-go-round, a ball pit, coloring and a contest to find Grandpa Gummy Bear.
A cafe and gift shop also at Choco Town sells a variety of products, including white chocolate, hot chocolate, brown sugar espresso, T-shirts, hoodies, and other souvenirs. One especially hot item at the gift shop is Choco Town's chocolate-covered bacon.
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If you go
What is Choco Town: The experience is presented by Fever, a live entertainment company that focuses on creating immersive entertainment experiences. It's an opportunity for family fun, photos, games, and a few more surprises.
Choco Town's grand opening is Thursday with a ribbon cutting. It runs through April 23.
Where it's located: Choco Town is located at Oakland Mall in Troy at 412 W. 14 Mile Road. It's on the first floor of the mall and it's right next to the Hobby Lobby and the A&W restaurant.
How much it costs: Family (group bundle): $20 per person; children ages 4-12, $18; seniors 65 and up: $20.
For more information on Choco Town, go to its website.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Choco Town chocolate experience opens at Oakland Mall in Troy
