BLOOMINGTON, Minnesota — Sweet dreams are truly made of this. The M&M's Experience is a chocoholic's wish made into reality.
"Before you even walk into the store, you'll smell chocolate." Patrick McIntyre, Director of Global Retail at Mars Retail Group didn't have to wax poetic to get us excited about the new 24,000 square foot store at the Mall of America. It opens Saturday, May 1st.
There are three levels dedicated to the classic candy, M&M's. It also pays homage to Minnesota through the store's design and experiences.
The Twin Cities is a special place for the Mars-Wrigley Brand. While recounting the company's history, McIntyre said the Land of 10,000 Lakes was Mars Incorporated's first home in 1910, when the company had just 125 employees. So returning to Minnesota was about going back to the brand's roots.
"When building this store, what was really important to us, was yes, M&M's need to be at the center. It needs to be chocolate, but it also needs to be Minnesota," explained McIntyre. "This region is culturally vibrant and we wanted to play that through."
There is a wall of multicolor chocolate, and interactive experiences like "Sweet Moves."
"A fan can express their personality through color, through sound, through movement and really capturing themselves," McIntyre said. "Basically, they turn into a wave of M&M's."
For the week of the Grand Opening, there's also going to be a treat for your ears called the M&M's Mix, which McIntyre says is driven by the power of music. It will be a limited-time pop-up experience, located on the first floor.
Guests can also climb up to "Peanut Peak," a rooftop terrace at the peak of the store inspired by Minnesota views.
If you can't make it to the mall, you can tour the store with a special 3D virtual experience on MMS.com, where you can make purchases including a decadent souvenir.
"Design your own M&M. You can put your own clip art, your favorite clip art, you can put your own face, or someone else's face or your dog or your cat," enthused McIntyre.
RELATED: #Sunrisers 60: Sugar Factory