Hershey Unveils New Immersive Times Square Store

With the continuous rise of digital transformation, grocery retailers aren’t the only ones striving to engage customers with a destination shopping experience. Yesterday, The Hershey Co. opened its new, expanded location of Hershey’s Chocolate World Times Square Attraction, featuring interactive, sensory opportunities for shoppers to connect with the brand, as well as an array of personalized chocolate products.

“Hershey was the first confectionery company to create a destination for people to experience our brands firsthand,” Suzanne Jones, VP, The Hershey Experience, at The Hershey Co., said in a statement. “We’ve succeeded in creating a landmark destination where chocolate lovers will experience something unlike anything they’ve seen, smelled or tasted before.”

Located in the 20 Times Square building at 701 Seventh Avenue, the new Hershey’s Chocolate World Times Square Attraction is nearly three times the size of the original location and expects more than 4 million annual visitors.

Yesterday’s grand opening celebrations kicked off with an official “Plume” cutting, an oversized version of the ribbon from a Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolate candy. The holiday-inspired event also featured a Hershey’s Melted Hot Chocolate toast, musical entertainment from the harmonizing voices of Milton Hershey School’s New Horizons Choir and a special gift for the first 1,000 attendees. Customers received a first-hand look at the location’s new in-store elements.

The new store features the Hershey’s S’Mores Experience—the company’s largest permanent s’mores installation—Hershey’s Kitchens Bakery, where customers can purchase warm-baked goods and beverages including more than 10 new Hershey-inspired treats created through its partnership with The Culinary Institute of America. New sweets include Hershey’s Triple Chocolate, Reese’s Peanut Butter and Cookies N’ Creme-themed brownies, Hershey’s Double Chocolate S’mores, Hershey’s Melted Hot Chocolate and Hershey’s Chocolate Spritzer drink.

Attendees enjoyed made-to-order Hershey’s Double Chocolate S'mores using custom graham crackers, double-decker marshmallows and an entire Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar during the grand opening ceremony.

 “Hershey’s products lend themselves to the type of hand-crafting work that we at The Culinary Institute of America have trained our whole careers for,” said Certified Master Chef Brad Barnes, The Culinary Institute of America. “For the past year, world-class chefs at CIA have been working behind-the-scenes with Hershey’s Chocolate World Attraction to discover innovative ways to bring the brand to life through our exclusive desserts and treats offered at the Hershey’s Kitchens Bakery.”

Also new is the Amazing Candy Machine attraction, where visitors can mix and match their favorite Hershey products to enjoy in-store or take home for later.

In addition, customers now have the opportunity to personalize their own Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar wrapper to capture their memory at the Times Square Attraction and connect with the brand’s logo, theme and packaging.