Anthony Thomas Chocolate Factory Tour
Who hasn’t had an Anthony Thomas chocolate at some point in their life? Their fundraising candy bars and assorted boxes have always been a staple, not to mention their famous buckeyes—the official buckeye candies of The Ohio State University. Josh and I have indulged in plenty over the years, but little did we know that all of these chocolates are made right here in Columbus! Being a lifelong chocolate fiend (even before pregnancy), I was thrilled to discover they offer factory tours—so, of course, we had to check it out.
Getting There:
We bought our tickets online and found plenty of availability. For just $4 per adult and $2 per child, you get a 45-minute tour—what a steal! The only catch? Tours are only available Tuesday through Thursday from 10 AM to 2 PM. However, they do hold special weekend events on occasion. In fact, their Easter Open House is coming up on April 5th from 9 AM to 3 PM. A super sweet employee (pun not intended) mentioned that arriving early is best since it gets busy fast. The tour will be free that day, and the Easter Bunny will be there with a special Easter egg for all the kids!
The Experience:
Upon arriving at their front Candy Shoppe, we checked in, and each received a ticket for $2 off any candy purchase after the tour—dangerous for a chocolate lover like me! We started off with a little history lesson about the factory. I won’t spoil all the details, but it was fascinating to learn that Anthony and his son Thomas started making candy together after World War II. Despite rationing, they could keep their business going because the government provided additional rations to veterans in the candy-making trade. Thomas had just returned from his tour of duty, and together, they opened their first sweets shop. Today, the company is still family-owned, with Thomas’ daughter as the CEO and her son also involved in the business.
After learning about where chocolate comes from, we headed to the third floor, where a catwalk lined with windows allowed us to observe the candy-making process from above. The day we visited, they were busy producing hundreds of buckeyes! We watched the entire process from start to finish and even saw chocolate Easter bunnies being crafted. Not every machine runs daily—depending on demand—but everything will be in full swing during the Easter Open House!
Chocolate was EVERYWHERE, and the smell was absolutely intoxicating.
By the end, we were more than ready to indulge and were treated to a complimentary piece of chocolate. After chatting with the employees about their favorites, we far exceeded our $4 discount (oops!). We left with toffees, chocolate-covered pretzels, and sour gummy hearts—totally worth it.
Because our tour group was just us and a mother with her children, it went by pretty quickly. But the guide gave us plenty of space to ask questions and had an answer for everything we threw her way. We left with a sugar high and a newfound appreciation for how these delicious confections are made!
