Vriner's Confectionery
Vriner's Confectionery is a commercial building in Illinois that has stood for over a hundred years. The interior preserves a soda fountain and stained-glass windows from the early 20th century, which together with candy displays maintain the character of a historic confectionery shop.
The shop was founded in 1898 by Peter Vriner, a Greek immigrant who made ice cream and candy. In the 1930s it was remodeled to add the stained-glass windows and soda fountain that still remain, reflecting its growth as a community gathering place.
The name Vriner comes from Peter Vriner, a Greek immigrant who opened the confectionery in 1898. For generations, the shop served as a gathering place where school children watched candy canes being made and university students returned to enjoy homemade treats and ice cream shakes.
The building is easily accessible and its original design provides insight into early commercial spaces and candy making. Today it operates under a new name and management, but the historic features of the space remain intact and visible to visitors.
The band R.E.O Speedwagon took a photograph at the counter and printed it on an album back cover, giving the place an unexpected role in local music history. This detail shows how the shop transcended its business function to become part of cultural memory.
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