We May Now Know What’s Replacing the Old Fannie May Location in Portage

It was a sad day when the Kalamazoo-area favorite, Fannie May Candies, announced their sudden closure two years ago. The unique and brightly colored building shuttered its doors on October 24, 2019 and the shell of the former candy company sat empty until its recent demolition in February 2022.

I'll admit, I literally never set foot inside Fannie May but even having grown up in nearby Allegan I was very familiar with the pink and white stripes and I knew that Fannie May was a staple in the area. As a child I used Fannie May as a landmark because I knew it when I saw the building we were close to the Crossroads Mall! Despite my lack of familiarity with Fannie, I was still crushed to see her come crumbling down.

Naturally, Kalamazoo-area residents are now wondering what will become of the former candy store location after its recent demolition. What is so important that it has to replace our sweet and cherished memories of an era gone by? Many locals have begun to speculate online wondering if it will be yet another dispensary, credit union, or storage units which all seem to have taken over the city. Here's what some have speculated:

u/goom_ba says,

Please let it be someone bringing krispy kreme back to kzoo

u/Both_Philosophy2507 added,

Dispensary, microbrewery or credit union would be my guess

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It turns out we can thank u/doiwantto for the answer!

Ok, so I totally went down a rabbit hole but I finally found the definitive answer. City of Portage issued a building permit on 1/21/2022 at the address of the former Fannie Mae’s for “shell structure for future medical office.” The electrical permit issued on 2/25/2022 is for Well Now Urgent Care.

WellNow Urgent Care has been in business since 2011 and claims to be one of the "top 10 urgent care providers in the U.S ." Known for their walk-in availability, 24/7 virtual care, and convenient operating hours from as early as 7:00 a.m. to as late as 11:00 p.m., seven days a week, WellNow already operates three locations in Southwest Michigan including Portage, Portage North, and Kalamazoo.

So I guess that answers that. I don't know about you but I'd rather have a candy shop than another urgent care center! Just add it to the list of things Kalamazoo doesn't need any more of. If you do find yourself craving a sweet treat from Fannie May, the nearest location is in Granger, IN.