The Chocolate Factory has closed its Shorewood sub shop and ice cream parlor at 4330 N. Oakland Ave.
The family friendly venue served up its last sundaes on Dec. 31.
The Chocolate Factory first opened its doors in 1972 as an ice cream parlor and candy store in Cedarburg. Later that year, it added sub sandwichesu, an item that would become a staple for the restaurant, to the menu.
In addition to subs, The Chocolate Factory also offers a variety of salads, sundaes and 24 premium Wisconsin-made ice creams sold by the ounce.
The Shorewood location, which opened in 2014 in the space previously occupied by Thirst & Vine, is survived by eight other locations including its original location in Cedarburg and shops in Delafield, Elm Grove, Oak Creek, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Waukesha and West Bend.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.